


Take to the Sky

by oiivkawa



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: (kind of), Alternate Universe - Neighbours, Dogs, Drinking, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Humour, Kissing, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Mild Angst, Mutual Pining, Slice of Life, Slow Burn, mentions of death (no main characters!), model!Oikawa, policeman!Iwa-chan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-06-25 13:39:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 63,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15641865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oiivkawa/pseuds/oiivkawa
Summary: “I hate my life,” Oikawa complained miserably.“Why? Because your neighbour’s hot and he doesn’t like you?” Kuroo asked, plopping down on the couch next to Oikawa.“Because my neighbour’s hot and he doesn’t like me,” Oikawa confirmed, lip jutting out in a pout.“To be fair, you did let your dog almost maul him,” Kuroo reminded, head jerking to the Akita whose ears perked up at his mention.“I did not ‘let him!’” Oikawa shouted, appalled by the accusation.For Oikawa Tooru, his dog has been the most important part of his life for the past three years. He's content that his world revolves around Aki until his new neighbour, Iwaizumi Hajime, moves in and Oikawa realizes that there's definitely room in his heart for more than one.But his dog isn't as keen on the idea and doesn't hesitate to make his displeasure known. It's easy for Iwaizumi to earn Oikawa's love but he comes as a package deal. Unfortunately for Iwaizumi, earning Aki's proves difficult although he isn’t willing to give up that easily.Cue: lots of vying for Oikawa's attention, gratuitous wooing, unintentional fame, and a case of dognapping.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really excited about this fic bc it started off as a small idea and turned into this huge thing ;__; (I feel like that's the story of my life tbh lol) but I've got lots planned for it and roughly 1/3 of it completed
> 
> I'm slowly working on it while also learning how to be an adult and work a full-time job so please bear with me in that aspect. Still, for now it'll be updated on a weekly to bi-weekly basis, every Friday, depending on how productive I am at continuing to write this fic. 
> 
> I missed writing fluff a lot and after my last completed fic, I was sorely lacking in that regard. 
> 
> Also! I want to thank [flunflun](https://twitter.com/vackerpudding) for being amazing and answering all my questions about dogs and sharing stories with me. I’ve never had a dog before myself so your help is very much appreciated! *_* Please visit flunflun on [twitter](https://twitter.com/vackerpudding/) // [tumblr](http://toranator.tumblr.com/) because she makes wonderful art and deserves all the love! ♡
> 
> I hope you enjoy this as much as I'm enjoying writing it! <3

Growing up, morning routines were a pretty big part of Oikawa’s life. His mother was a school teacher so from a very early age, she had conditioned her children to wake up early, eat a healthy breakfast, and be out the door long before school was even due to start. Since his mother was a single parent for most of Oikawa’s life, early mornings were the only kind of mornings Oikawa could remember from his childhood.

Initially, it had been annoying to be the first kid at school every morning; it had been  _especially annoying_  to come to school with his mother who unfortunately happened to teach the seventh grade at the junior high next to Oikawa’s elementary school. But soon enough, Oikawa found that there were perks to being up early even if that meant giving up his sleep or missing out on his favourite TV show the night before because he had a  _bedtime_.

His elementary school was nice; it was two floors high, had a large park, lots of field space and a nice garden planted around the perimeter. But it was the junior high that had really caught Oikawa’s attention.

With his mother working as a teacher there, he was pretty much guaranteed admission but it wasn’t until one of those routine, obnoxiously early mornings where his mother had forced him to come to school early that he had really  _wanted_  to attend Kitagawa Daiichi of his own will.

His sister was already in high school, old enough to be trusted to lock the door and leave on time to get to school but Oikawa had still only been ten at the time and with his school located right next to the one his mother worked at, he wasn’t lucky enough to be allowed to stay home for an extra hour like his sister was.

The morning that changed his perspective had been just like any other: he had gotten up butt early, sleepily eaten his breakfast and was supposed to be sitting quietly in the teacher’s lounge while his mother prepared for the day’s lesson.

If it had been warmer outside he would have been allowed to play in the park but it was November and the brisk, autumn air had him confined to the stuffy building, surrounded by teachers who thought he was  _cute_.

At ten years old, Oikawa was a curious kid; the last thing he wanted was to  _sit still_ and be coddled, so with the excuse that he was going to the bathroom Oikawa had snuck down to the first floor in search of the haunted classroom that Fujiwara in his class kept bragging about just so Oikawa could rub it in the stupid kid’s face that it wasn’t that scary at all. Maybe Fujiwara would stop teasing him about coming to school with his mother then – as if being  _dropped off_  by your parent was any different.

Instead of finding the bathroom however, Oikawa had found the gymnasium. He had been there once before to watch a basketball game with his sister. At the time, he had been as much of an unlikely participant in that event as his sister had been because she had been there to watch her boyfriend and Oikawa had only tagged along because his mother had asked his sister babysit him.

He had hated every moment of that game because he hadn’t been able to see over the tall heads in front of him and when he had tried to ask his sister if they could move she had told him that he was being a baby about it and to quit complaining.

Oikawa hadn’t even liked his sister’s boyfriend. He was really  _mean_  and always came over to their house when Oikawa’s mum wasn’t home even though he wasn’t allowed to be there without parental supervision.  

But that had been three years ago and a lot had changed in that time. Oikawa was no longer as short as he had been at seven years old, his mother trusted him to stay home alone after school as long as he didn’t go into the kitchen, and his sister had broken up with her terrible boyfriend last month after she told him she was pregnant and he insisted that it couldn’t be his child.

In all honestly, Oikawa couldn’t understand what his sister had seen in the guy, anyway. Oikawa may have only been ten at the time, but with his dad having moved to Australia and his mother busy between working fulltime and raising two kids by herself, Oikawa knew a lot about responsibility so he could confidently say that his sister’s now ex-boyfriend was an irresponsible jerk.

It had only been a month since the fiasco with his sister and her ex, so the gymnasium at Kitagawa Daiichi should have brought upsetting memories because even though Mariko was eight years older than him and a bit snobby she was still his sister and Oikawa  _did_ have a sense of loyalty.

So it had come as a surprise when instead of walking past the gymnasium with his nose turned up in defiance, Oikawa had been taken in by the sound of shoes squeaking against the floor and dull  _thuds_  echoing out every few seconds.

It was different from the sounds he had heard at the basketball game, and it was curiosity alone that had made him stall in his tracks and take a quick look inside.

Nothing was supposed to come out of it. Oikawa had decided he would take a quick glance and then keep walking but something about the practice had caught his attention and then kept it for another twenty minutes.

He had only snapped out of his daze when he heard the coach blow his whistle and the balls stopped moving in the air, rolling to a lazy stop.

Maybe it had been the way the spikers slammed their open palms against the ball, jumping high to catch them mid-air or maybe it was the way the balls arched perfectly with the way the setters tossed them but Oikawa had just seen a  _glimpse_  of a practice and he had been mesmerized by how articulate the game was.

Watching basketball had been  _so boring_ ; the game had stopped every few seconds to deal with fouls and although Oikawa hadn’t been able to see anything more than a volleyball  _practice_ , he already knew he liked it much better than any other sport he’d seen yet.

Coming to school early in the mornings after that hadn’t been as much of a hassle. He found himself wandering the halls of the junior high in search of the gymnasium every morning, hurrying back up to the teacher’s lounge just as practice ended so his mother wouldn’t notice that he had disappeared for too long.

It had been like that for a few weeks; he would stand outside the open gymnasium doors, peering inside with burning curiosity as he watched the older boys practice until finally a ball had rolled too far outside the perimeter and landed at Oikawa’s feet.

One of the kids had seen him then but instead of reprimanding him, he had smiled at Oikawa and had had invited him to watch them practice from the bleachers.

Oikawa had been so surprised by the offer he hadn’t even been able to speak. The difference between being in elementary school and junior high was huge and even Oikawa couldn’t deny how cool it was that the older kids were letting him join them, even if it was to  _just watch_.

Who needed to brag about a haunted classroom when he could brag about having older friends instead?

And they really  _had_  acted like his friends. They didn’t treat him like a baby like his sister did. One of the guys, a friendly eighth-grader named Hiroki happened to live in Oikawa’s neighbourhood and when he had noticed how much Oikawa really loved to watch volleyball, he had promised to teach him how to play.

Before Oikawa knew it,  _he_  was the one with his backpack strapped to his shoulders, shoes tied and bento packed, standing in the genkan and shouting at his mother that they were going to be late.

By the time junior high had rolled around, Oikawa was regularly the first one to wake up in the house and the last to get back, focusing all his effort on volleyball. High school had been much the same, albeit with a lot more responsibility when he had been given the captain position in his third year.

All the hard work had paid off when he was offered a scholarship to play for Waseda University in Tokyo. He wouldn’t have even known that volleyball was a dream he had until he was forced to go to school early. It was all a coincidence, something he hadn’t seen coming, so he should have expected it when the aspiration had been cut short.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault that his mother got sick and although she would have never asked Oikawa to give up something he had worked hard his whole life for, he wouldn’t have done anything else.

His sister was a single parent too so Oikawa would have never asked her to cut back her hours for their mother. She had her own son to take care of after all and Oikawa wasn’t so selfish that he would have put his own ambitions before the person who had raised him.

He was supposed to have started playing with the Sakai Blazers in Osaka right after graduation; he had already met with the head coach a few times, had been introduced to the team and allowed to practice with them on his visits to their gym; the only thing that had been left was to sign a contract.

Maybe if he had then he would have been able to work out some kind of deal but an unsigned free agent with no professional experience wasn’t someone teams wanted to put their faith in, even if he ranked as one of the best university setters in Japan.

Sure, Oikawa had been angry at the time, upset with life for dealing his mother a terrible hand. She was a good person, raised two kids by herself since Oikawa had been four and their father had walked out and moved to a different country. She supported Mariko when she got pregnant at eighteen, watched Takeru so Oikawa’s sister could finish her own education, always made time for her kids even with her busy schedule.

Everything about the situation had made him furious but he had never once regretted his decision to set aside a career as a professional volleyball player so he could take care of his mum and spend whatever time he had with her together.

When he found out that his mother was sick, he still had a few months left until he graduated from Waseda. Being a well-known university athlete meant that he had a few sponsorships too, which weren’t due to end until after he had graduated; he also had a degree in marketing and some experience in that field so Oikawa wasn’t too worried about landing a job even without a volleyball contract.

He had spent the last few months of his fourth year travelling back and forth from Tokyo to Miyagi every weekend to visit his mother. When he had graduated, he had moved back permanently, working at the sister agencies of his previous sponsors. The money was okay but that hadn’t been his priority at the time.

After his mother passed away though, Oikawa had moved back to Tokyo. Part of the reason was because he didn’t like associating his childhood home with sad memories but another reason was because he had a lot more contacts in the area.

Maybe the acceptance of fate and the patience paid off though. What Oikawa had assumed was just going to be a temporary gig doing advertisements for sports drinks and athletic wear until he found a different job had turned into a full-time career.

Oikawa had never expected to model – what kind of a pipe dream was that  _anyway_  – yet here he was at the age of twenty-five doing just that and he was pretty successful too.

His sister liked to tease him for how embarrassing his job was but that was the thing: Oikawa didn’t find it embarrassing at all. He actually, sort of,  _really liked it_. 

He was lucky to work with the people he did, he had made some friends there that he got along with well and most of all, it paid for his rent and groceries and left him with enough to enjoy being twenty-five.

Sure, the hours were always strange and sometimes he had to travel out of town so he had to leave his dog with his sister but his nephew loved having Aki, who he affectionately called  _Akikun_ , around so that wasn’t really a problem either.

Mariko and Takeru also lived in Tokyo now, which was convenient for Oikawa. He could see why his sister had moved away from Miyagi too. Their home had been good to them while they had been living there but with their mother’s death, there was no reason for them to go back.

In the grand scheme of things however, Oikawa supposed that he was doing okay with the cards that he had been dealt in life.

* * *

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

Oikawa groaned, extending an arm across his bed towards the nightstand, smacking his hand down over the screen of his phone to try and turn that awful alarm off. It was only after a few tries that Oikawa realized that his alarm wasn’t going off but rather he was getting a phone call.

He heard his dog whine from the foot of his bed, a sign that it was far too early for either of them to be up. Aki, named for his breed, the Japanese Akita – because that’s what happened when he left an unnamed puppy with his sister and nephew for a few hours before he was named – was a generally energetic dog and was often the one who woke Oikawa up in the morning so to hear him complain about the noise made Oikawa dread looking at the time.

He was both unsurprised and completely resigned at the fact that it was only 5 am and Kuroo was calling him.

He debated rejecting the call and turning his phone off but he did have an actual alarm set for 6:30 am and he didn’t want to be late for work. With a sigh, Oikawa snatched his phone off the nightstand, glared at Kuroo’s name for half a second before answering.

“ _What_?”

“Good morning to you too, sunshine.”

Oikawa could practically hear Kuroo’s grin over the phone.

“It’s 5 am, what the fuck do you want?”

“Oh, hasn’t the devil woken you up yet?  _My bad_ ,” he apologized, not sounding very apologetic at all.

Oikawa’s right eye twitched. He subconsciously looked to where Aki had laid his head back down again, eyes closed. He may not have been the friendliest of dogs but he wasn’t the  _devil_.

Besides, Oikawa knew it was his own fault that his dog was wary of strangers. Oikawa hadn’t exposed him to enough people when Aki was just a puppy, which allowed his slightly abrasive personality to develop. He wasn’t aggressive though, just aloof and a bit snobby when it came to strangers.

Oikawa had gotten Aki as a puppy on his walk back to his apartment from one of his therapy sessions after his mother had died. He had just moved to Tokyo then, hoping that the change in scenery and the chance to work fulltime would keep him distracted from just having lost his mother.

But all that had done was remind him of how lonely he was so with a bit of a push from Mariko to go talk to a specialist about it, Oikawa had made time to see a therapist. He hadn’t thought that they’d be able to help but knowing that he could spill what was on his mind without judgment was a good feeling.

Still, he couldn’t shake the sense that he was missing something –  _someone_  – in his life.

When he had admitted that to his therapist, she had suggested he get a pet to give him some company and give him a purpose again. He had spent so much time taking care of his mother that now that he had all this time back, it made him feel empty.

A young pet would be best according to the kind lady, as that would require his full attention. Oikawa hadn’t thought much about the suggestion until he had walked past a pet store he hadn’t even known was on his way back home and was struck with a pleading look from the dog in the front window.

He had been tempted to walk away but how could he say no to a face like that? Oikawa told himself that he was going in just for a look but that hadn’t worked the last time and it certainly wouldn’t work this time either.

Before Oikawa knew it, he was the proud owner of an adorable Akita puppy. Aki had chocolate eyes and white fur that covered most of his body except for small, light brown patches across his ears and on the side of his head. He was quiet, observant, and had immediately nuzzled his head against Oikawa’s chest when he had picked the puppy up.

For the most part he was friendly, a little stubborn at times but mostly well behaved – around Oikawa, at any rate. Still, Oikawa hadn’t known a lot of people in Tokyo when he had first moved so his dog hadn’t been exposed to many strangers aside from his sister and nephew and some of his co-workers, which meant that he didn’t do well with new people, something that Kuroo had seen many times and didn’t fail to point out.

“For reasons that are unknown to me, he likes you though so I don’t see what you’re complaining about,” Oikawa sighed.

“Everyone likes me,” Kuroo said seriously. “Anyway, before you yell at me to get to the point I just wanted to call and remind you that it’s your turn to bring breakfast today and it better not be those cheap donuts that you bought the last time. I don’t need to hear Yahaba complain about that half pound he gained from them for another two months,” Kuroo shuddered.

Oikawa frowned, putting Kuroo on speaker and finding the calendar on his phone.

“ _Fuck_ , how is it April already? And who signed me up for breakfast for the second time in three months?” he asked sleepily.

Of course it had been Kuroo who had come up with the stupid tradition. He thought it would be nice for the team to eat together on the first Monday of every month. He thought it would help them get along but no one looked forward to breakfast; everyone just looked forward to  _judging the quality_  of the breakfast the person in charge had brought.

The first time it had been Oikawa’s turn, he had gone all out with a handmade breakfast quiche. He had spent his entire evening on it, had bought the freshest ingredients from the market and everyone had supposedly enjoyed it but the next day Oikawa had heard one of the make-up artists complain about how he had made it the night before and that it wasn’t as good as it would have been had he made it the morning of.

Ever since then, Oikawa had purposely been bringing whatever he could buy with the most amount of sugar and calories in hopes of getting this stupid tradition scrapped.

But free food was better than no food and apparently complaining was a pastime for some of these people so his plan had only backfired.

He didn’t need to ‘ _get along_ ’ with everyone he worked with, anyway. He had his friends and that was all he needed. Unfortunately, Kuroo happened to fall into the category of friends and one of  _his_  pastimes was riling Oikawa up.

“Definitely not me,” Kuroo said disbelievingly.

“Sure,” Oikawa deadpanned. “So what do you think:  _Calbee Fruit Granola_  or  _Nissin Criscorn Frost_?” he asked.

“Does it matter? You’re going to be yelled at for bringing cereal first of all and also for the insane amounts of sugar those have,” Kuroo laughed. “Frost,” he answered dutifully after a few beats of contemplative silence.

“Thanks,” Oikawa smiled wryly. “Now let me go back to sleep, you asshole,” he chided.

“I’ll see you in a few hours,” Kuroo laughed, bidding Oikawa goodbye.  

Despite the fact that Oikawa had told Kuroo he was going back to sleep, there was no way he could rest now that he was up. Placing his phone back on the nightstand, Oikawa threw his blankets off his legs and slipped his feet into a pair of house slippers.

He padded over to where Aki was resting in his dog bed and gave his head a rub. When he didn’t so much as budge, Oikawa resigned to letting him sleep for a little longer while he prepared their breakfast.

Thirty minutes later, both dog and owner had eaten breakfast and were ready for their morning run, albeit Aki very unenthusiastically. Oikawa zipped up his pullover, tied the laces of his shoes and ruffled Aki’s fur in an attempt to liven up his mood.

Oikawa’s work schedule was all over the place but he tried to make it so that Aki’s exercise was consistent. Scheduling a longer walk in the morning was good for the both of them.

Besides, Oikawa had grown up with a strict routine and that was hard to forget. A part of Oikawa didn’t want to forget it either. It was stupid to admit but he had always associated morning routines with his mother and he couldn’t just throw that away now.

But it  _was_  earlier than they usually left so Oikawa was unsurprised at Aki’s stubbornness.

He whined as he rubbed his head against Oikawa’s calf, as if that was going to allow him to roll around in his bed for a little longer. Oikawa didn’t have to be at the studio until 8 am but an hour run, a trip to the grocery store and a quick shower would make it so that he was cutting it close.

As much as Oikawa wanted to give in to Aki’s pout, he couldn’t.

“Come on, baby, it’s only a thirty-minute difference,” Oikawa soothed. “We’ll get all your exercise over with in the morning so you can laze around when I get home. And the sun is up too,” he pointed out.

Aki didn’t so much as acknowledge Oikawa’s words. With an amused smile, Oikawa smoothed down his shorts and he got up off the floor where he had crouched down to level with his dog.

He placed Aki’s leash around his neck and tugged gently, urging him to walk out the front door. Aki barked once, turned his head up in defiance before trotting forward, as if he was telling Oikawa that he was doing it for himself and certainly not for his owner. Oikawa bit back a chuckle at Aki’s antics.

As stubborn as he could be, Aki was sweet and he meant a lot to Oikawa. He was a good dog and very loyal too; he had helped snap Oikawa out of his loneliness and had always known whether to be silent or playful.

Sometimes when Oikawa was upset, Aki wouldn’t even say a word. He would just lie down, place his head on the couch next to Oikawa and stare up at him supportively.

Other times he’d nuzzle his face into Oikawa’s stomach or lick Oikawa’s face until he smiled. Whatever the mood was, Aki could read it well and he had never let Oikawa down in that regard.

“Okay fine, I’ll take you to the park on my day off,” Oikawa promised. “You stubborn brat,” he sighed affectionately.

Aki barked loudly at that, looking far too pleased with himself and this time Oikawa wasn’t able to contain his chuckle. It was cut short however by the sound of the door next to him rattling open.

Oikawa sobered up, fully prepared to get chewed out by his neighbour for being too loud at 5:30 am.

It was nothing he wasn’t used to, however. There may have been a new tenant living there since two days ago but the last guy had constantly complained that Oikawa’s unpredictable schedule paired with his loud dog was driving him nuts. 

As a businessman, he had worked regular hours and had found no qualms in telling Oikawa that he was ruining both his own life and that of his neighbour’s.

Oikawa had been grateful when the guy had moved out; the apartment had been empty for only a week but that had been a blissful period of peace. Now, Oikawa figured he’d have to go through the same battle again.

But instead of opening the door to tell Oikawa to quit being so loud, his new neighbour stepped out, looking ready to leave for the day as well, which was surprising considering the early hour.

Oikawa didn’t get the chance to think much of it, distracted by his neighbour’s good looks. He was wearing a navy t-shirt that extended across his shoulders, sleeves fitted against his  _ungodly biceps_. He had a duffel bag in one hand, a coffee cup in the other. Oikawa was grateful that his neighbour hadn’t looked up at him, giving Oikawa free reign to ogle unabashedly.

When he turned around to lock his front door and Oikawa was presented with the sight of his back framed by his t-shirt Oikawa swore he felt his breath catch in his throat.

He quickly schooled his features when the guy turned back around and bent down to pick up the duffel bag he had discarded on the ground while he locked his front door. Maybe he was going to the gym – he certainly looked like he worked out often but the thought was fleeting.

Oikawa watched his neighbour, caught somewhere between wanting him to acknowledge Oikawa and wanting him to walk away so that Oikawa could stare at his retreating figure.

“Excuse me?” the man asked, catching Oikawa by surprise.

“ _Hi_ ,” Oikawa said quickly, words coming out in a rush as he released the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding in.

He hadn’t been expecting the man to actually  _talk_  to him.

“Uh, hi,” his neighbour acknowledged awkwardly, eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. “You know your dog’s been barking for about half a minute now, right? I think he wants your attention,” he pointed out, jerking his head down to Aki who was in fact barking quite loudly.

How had Oikawa not heard that? He flushed, resisting the urge to squeeze his eyes shut in embarrassment or bang his head against his front door.

What the fuck? Oikawa worked with good looking guys  _all the time_  so why was it  _this one_  that made him lose his bearings?

“ _Akikun_ ,” Oikawa scolded, bending down to shush the Akita. “Sorry about that,” Oikawa apologized sheepishly when Aki only bared his teeth and straight up  _growled_  at his neighbour. “He’s not usually like this,” Oikawa winced.

That wasn’t a lie; Aki didn’t like strangers and he was protective but he had never gotten so  _vocal_  about his dislike before.

“Sure,” his neighbour acknowledged, not unkindly. “I’ve got to get to work, but I’ll see you around I guess,” he offered Oikawa a half-wave.

Before Oikawa could follow-up on the offer and introduce himself, he lost his grip on Aki’s leash. He only saw a flash of dark fur before he was met with the sight of Aki nudging his head into his neighbour’s thigh quite forcefully, his barks increasingly getting louder.

“Holy shit, I am  _so sorry_ ,” Oikawa squandered in apology, eyes going round as he saw his neighbour’s coffee spill all over his nice shirt.

Oikawa wasn’t sure if he should continue to stare at how the other man’s t-shirt stuck to his chest or tear his eyes away before he popped a boner.

Luckily, Aki made the decision easy with another loud bark followed by a possessive growl.

“ _Aki_!” Oikawa reprimanded, pulling him back and away from the other man. “Stop. Aki,  _stop_ ,” Oikawa repeated before the dog stopped barking, dropping his head down in frustration.

Oikawa braced himself for a lecture on how he didn’t know how to control his dog or that Aki was a menace. Instead, he was met by a frown, directed at the man’s t-shirt instead of Oikawa and a muttered, “Fuck, I can’t believe I’m going to be late on my first day of work,” before his neighbour fumbled for his keys, threw open his front door and disappeared back into his apartment in a rush.

Oikawa didn’t know if he should have been grateful that his neighbour hadn’t yelled at him or disappointed by the lack of acknowledgement. He had looked so  _unenthusiastic_  throughout the thirty-second exchange; he had barely recognized Oikawa’s presence and he had dismissed Oikawa’s apology:  _both times_.

Or maybe he was just tired. It  _was_  early.

Aki barked again, snapping Oikawa out of his misery.

“What was that for?” he frowned. “You can’t just go attacking someone like that. You’re lucky I’m not taking away your park time but don’t do that again,” Oikawa reprimanded, feeling the guilt seep in when Aki whined apologetically.

He sighed, tugging Aki forward until he fell in step with Oikawa. Somewhere in the back of his mind Oikawa wondered if it was his own fault that Aki had been so aggressive towards his neighbour. Even if he was wary of strangers he had never done more than glare menacingly or shy away so what had been different this time around?

Oikawa numbly took the elevator down to the first floor and pushed open the lobby door, letting Aki walk out first before he started off to a slow jog, making sure that his dog kept up.

The sun may have already been up but just barely. Oikawa liked it like this, in the silence of the dawn. The streets were emptier than they’d be in an hour, the early spring weather bringing a sense of peace and calm. It was the perfect morning for a run but his mind was reeling with what had just transpired between Aki and his neighbour.

Whatever it was that had Aki so combative towards the other man was something they’d need to work on; that was Oikawa’s priority and not because Oikawa wanted very badly to talk to his neighbour again.

So maybe that had  _something_  to do with his desire to make Aki’s behaviour friendlier.

“One step at a time,” Oikawa muttered to himself, feeling a surge of confidence he hadn’t felt in a long time.

If there was one thing Oikawa had learned in the last two years it was that having a purpose was a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi is definitely not as uninterested as Oikawa thinks he is but there will be more interactions coming up :') 
> 
> next time:  
> \- Iwaizumi's first day at work; introduction to Bokuto as his new partner  
> \- Iwaizumi vs. Aki: Round Two
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments/kudos are always appreciated ^^ 
> 
> Feel free to hit me up on social media:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [Tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/)


	2. Chapter 2

Being late on his first day of work at a new police station – hell, a new  _prefecture_  – was the worst thing Iwaizumi could possibly do, which was why he found himself speeding through the early morning, Tokyo traffic despite the fact that this went against all professional and personal moral codes.

By some miracle though, Iwaizumi managed to make it to the police station on time and without getting pulled over.

He parked his car, grabbed his bag and didn’t even bother to check if he had locked his car doors as he rushed to the locker rooms to put on his uniform. He ignored the strange looks he received from the officers hanging around outside, chatting with their partners and friends for a few minutes before their shift was due to start, mind focused on remembering where all the rooms he needed were located instead.

Iwaizumi had been given a tour of the premise a few weeks ago and instructions on where to report and who to report to once he got here. At the time, he had found the proceedings very similar to how they had been back in Miyagi but suddenly, the first day jitters were making him blank out.

This was ridiculous; he didn’t get  _nervous_. Yet here he was, fighting with himself on whether to turn right or left.

He had been looking forward to this transfer for months now—had been waiting on it to happen for  _two years_. Miyagi had been great but Iwaizumi had felt stuck in the same position there for too long.

He had enrolled in the police academy straight out of high school, had joined the police force two years after that. He had waited to complete his three years of experience before applying for the sergeant exam and had passed with flying colours, yet still maintained the wretched  _officer_  rank because there hadn’t been the funds to support so many sergeants.

Iwaizumi had been willing to take the pay cut as long as he got the rank he deserved but that hadn’t changed the mind of his superior officer who had told him that if he wanted to rise in the ranks, he was going to have to find a new police station to take him in.

It had been the stupidest thing Iwaizumi had heard – he wasn’t going to  _run away_  for the chance to earn something he deserved – but that night he had gone home and started to research places he could possibly transfer to despite himself.

Transferring between police stations in the same prefecture, while tedious, was easy. But what was the point in asking to work from a different station if the prefectural headquarters themselves weren’t willing to open up more higher ranked positions. Transferring to a station in a completely different prefecture was what Iwaizumi needed to do but that had been a lot more difficult.

Times like those Iwaizumi really had to wonder whether he had made the correct career call. He could have been doing essentially the same thing – without the satisfaction of  _actually_  helping people – had he taken up a job in his father’s security firm. But he hadn’t and still didn’t want to; Iwaizumi wouldn’t allow himself to regret what he had wanted from a very young age.

Two years, a lot of physical, oral, and written exams later, he had finally gotten his transfer and given the honorary rank of a senior police officer.

He was in a better position than he had been in Miyagi and he had hope that he would be able to get to where he wanted to go in due time. All he needed was to wait one year to take the Tokyo sergeant exam and he’d have something to show for his hard work.

As long as he didn’t fuck up his chances by being late on his very first day, that was.

“Take the second hallway to your left then make a right at the first turn. Men to the right, women to the left,” a voice supplied.  

“What?” Iwaizumi asked stupidly, turning around to face the person who had spoken to him.

“You’re looking for the locker rooms, right?”

He was met by a blinding smile and a head of salt and pepper hair. Iwaizumi wasn’t sure if the man’s hair was naturally like that or dyed before he remembered it couldn’t have been the second option because that went against protocol.

God, how was he forgetting every single thing he had learned in the past seven years in a moment of panic? Maybe his superiors had seen right through him; maybe they had known he wouldn’t do well under pressure.

Iwaizumi quickly shook the negativity out. He had never once frozen up like this before. Working under pressure made him feel good,  _accomplished_.

It may have seemed like the new work environment was making him nervous but in all honesty, it had been Iwaizumi’s unexpected run-in with his neighbour that had him feeling out of sorts.

The guy was  _not_  what Iwaizumi had been expecting. Hell, he didn’t know what he had been expecting but a tall, good-looking guy with a nice voice and even nicer legs was certainly something Iwaizumi hadn’t thought was possible during his move.

Maybe all his luck had accumulated to that exact moment, but it had been cut short by his neighbour’s dog, who unfortunately had not been very friendly towards Iwaizumi.

“Hey, you okay?”

Iwaizumi snapped his attention back to the man in front of him instead of daydreaming about his neighbour. He felt his ears burn red, praying that the heat didn’t trickle down his face.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Second hallway on the left, then right at the first turn. Men’s locker rooms on the right,” Iwaizumi repeated. “Thanks, man,” he acknowledged.

Iwaizumi only realized that he hadn’t even introduced himself once he was fumbling to get the button of his jeans open but by that point it was too late to turn around and find the guy who had helped him out.

He had been dressed in uniform, a silver-wreathed silver emblem with two gold bars pinned to his left indicating that he held the same honorary senior police officer rank that Iwaizumi did so Iwaizumi made a mental note to introduce himself the next time he saw the man around.

By the time he filed in for roll call, Iwaizumi had all but forgotten about everything that had happened that morning up until that moment. He barely remembered to acknowledge his presence when his name was called, sliding by unnoticed of his slip-up at the last minute. He remained as alert as possible after that and only when the superintendent had finished inspecting their uniforms and dismissed them for the start of their shift did Iwaizumi relax slightly.

He had almost expected the superintendent to call him to his office to discuss any housekeeping business but when he didn’t Iwaizumi felt both relieved and agitated by how  _simple_  the transition was so far. They  _had_  spoken in depth on his previous visit so maybe the superintendent expected Iwaizumi to show himself the way.

There were a few training modules he’d have to complete on his own, off-duty, so for now, he tried to find his way down to the front of the station to report for his shift.

“Desk duty on your first day, huh? That sucks. I’m Bokuto Koutarou by the way,” the man who had directed Iwaizumi to the locker rooms introduced himself.

He was standing at the edge of the stairs, seemingly waiting for Iwaizumi as Bokuto fell in step with him.

“Iwaizumi Hajime,” Iwaizumi introduced, bowing politely. “And I sort of expected it; new guy and all,” he smiled wryly, hoping that his disappointment didn’t shine through.

“Don’t worry about it,” Bokuto laughed good-naturedly, “Around here there are only three reasons why you’d be stuck on desk duty: you either pissed off Nekomata-san or you’re new. It’s a rite of passage so you’ll be good to go in no time,” he encouraged.

Iwaizumi smiled gratefully at Bokuto, happy that the man was being so friendly. Iwaizumi knew that moving to a new prefecture was going to mean he’d have to earn his keep when it came to his service record, but he had been worried about how the other officers would treat his arrival. Bokuto’s warm welcome was easing some of Iwaizumi’s initial fears.

“What’s the third reason?” Iwaizumi asked as Bokuto followed him to the front desk.

“A follow-up to the second,” Bokuto grinned. “I’m your new partner so I guess I’m on desk duty as long as you are,” he chuckled.

“Sorry about that,” Iwaizumi apologized sheepishly.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. We were all new at some point, right? Although, judging by your rank you can’t be  _that_  new,” Bokuto wondered aloud to himself. 

Iwaizumi flushed despite himself. Nothing that Bokuto said had been embarrassing and he hadn’t felt any ill thoughts emanating off the man but Iwaizumi was a bit self-conscious about his decision all the same.

“Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you,” Bokuto apologized, catching on to Iwaizumi’s embarrassment.

“You didn’t,” Iwaizumi confirmed, offering Bokuto a reassuring smile.

That seemed to relax his partner, who returned the look. They reached the front desk where two officers were waiting their arrival.

“Fucking,  _finally_ ,” the shorter of the two rolled his eyes. “One more minute with this guy and I was about to pull my gun on him,” he muttered.

“Aw, c’mon Kyoutani, you’re hurting my  _soul_ ,” the taller one clutched at his chest, squeezing the material of his uniform shirt in a way that was sure to wrinkle.

Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow at their antics, silently wondering whether they were going through a trial period as partners or had been that way for a long time. He couldn’t imagine the two actually working together but he kept that opinion to himself.

Bokuto introduced Iwaizumi to the two before they departed to clock out of their shift. They were junior police officers by the names of Kyoutani Kentarou – the shorter, angrier one – and Terushima Yuuji, who Bokuto described as the source of all the shenanigans at the station. Terushima was the reason the partners were stuck on desk duty and why Kyoutani had been so agitated in the first place.

Terushima, while he was a troublemaker, was friendly enough and easy to talk to. Kyoutani however, dutifully introduced himself then departed for the locker rooms as quickly as possible, while Terushima stuck around and got to know Iwaizumi a little better.

When he finally left, Iwaizumi should have felt good about how two of the officers he had met today had treated him well but he couldn’t get over Kyoutani’s dismissal, if only because it had been so  _abrupt_.

“Don’t let Kyoutani get to you,” Bokuto laughed, reading into Iwaizumi’s dissatisfied expression. “He’s a bit like a guard dog, takes some getting used to but generally harmless towards his own,” Bokuto explained.  

 _Guard dog_.

Somehow, that comparison didn’t make Iwaizumi feel any better. In fact, it just reminded him of his run-in with his neighbour and his neighbour’s Akita who had acted very much like a guard dog that morning.

Iwaizumi figured he wasn’t the most approachable person but that only applied to other human beings. Animals had always seen through his appearance but for some reason, this one dog hadn’t. He hadn’t really been bothered by it at the time, far too focused on getting to work instead, but now that he had some time to think about it he realized that he really  _was_  perturbed and not just because he found his neighbour attractive.

“Dude, are you okay? That’s the second time you’ve spaced out in like thirty minutes,” Bokuto frowned, peering at Iwaizumi carefully.

“Sorry, I’m fine,” Iwaizumi flushed. “This morning’s just been a little hectic. I had an unfortunate run-in with my new neighbour’s dog and Kyoutani’s standoffishness just now reminded me of it,” he admitted with a small chuckle.

He decided to keep the fact that his spilled coffee on himself and was almost late for his first day of work private. Bokuto may have been friendly but Iwaizumi was sure that even Bokuto didn’t want to hear Iwaizumi complain about such trivial things.

Bokuto laughed loudly. “He  _does_  kind of remind you of a dog, doesn’t he?”

“A little bit,” Iwaizumi smiled slightly, feeling the tension dissipate from his shoulders.

“Speaking of animals though, how much you want to bet that this lady’s here to report her missing cat?” Bokuto asked, signalling to the front door that had just chimed to indicate someone’s arrival.

“Does that happen often?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Usually the old women come in to report their cats but they’re usually runaways. Lately though we  _have_ been getting a lot of missing dog complaints. It’s just hard to tell what’s real and what’s not because half of these people don’t come back to close their open files,” Bokuto explained. “This definitely looks like a cat lady heading towards us though.”

Iwaizumi looked at the frazzled woman, trying his best to keep his face impassive. “You’re on,” he agreed, knowing that he was going to lose but not caring despite that fact.

Desk duty was boring but it was something every officer was subject to at some point.

When the woman who had just entered the police station approached them with a complaint about her missing cat, Iwaizumi had to duck his head to avoid the laughter from spilling out.

The last thing he needed was a civilian complaint on his first day but with that thought he realized that maybe desk duty wasn’t going to be so bad as long as he had Bokuto around to keep the shift interesting.

* * *

“Something’s different,” Kuroo hummed, eyes narrowed at Oikawa accusingly.

“What are you talking about?” Oikawa asked, gaze trained on Aki who was currently retrieving a rubber ball that Kuroo had thrown for him.

For a Thursday evening, Yoyogi Park was packed with people. It was unsurprising considering the area’s fame for being a tourist spot and with the cherry blossom season soon approaching, it was busier than usual. Since Aki’s run-in with Oikawa’s neighbour on Monday, whose name Oikawa had learned was Iwaizumi Hajime thanks to the mailboxes downstairs, Oikawa had been a little worried about Aki’s behaviour in front of strangers.

But in the three days since then, he had actually  _mellowed out_ , which was odd because just walking past Iwaizumi’s apartment door made Aki growl even if the man himself wasn’t present.

Oikawa had been wary of bringing Aki to a park packed with strangers but it was close to their home and it was the one his dog was used to so Oikawa had taken the chance. Besides, he had promised Aki and the last thing Oikawa wanted was for his dog to start mistrusting him now.

When Kuroo had called that morning to ask him what he was doing that day and invited himself to the park with Oikawa, Oikawa had been secretly grateful. At least if Aki misbehaved he’d have a second person to help him out. Although Aki was being the perfect pet and Kuroo was left with too much thought to observe Oikawa.

“Well, you’ve been jumpy every time Aki so much as  _nears_  a stranger, but at the same time you haven’t yelled at me for throwing the ball farther than a few metres,” Kuroo raised an eyebrow knowingly. “What’s up?”

Oikawa wrinkled his nose and debated waving Kuroo off but knowing his friend, he wasn’t going to let this go until Oikawa spilled whatever it was that was bothering him.

“Aki hates my neighbour,” Oikawa sighed.

“What happened?” Kuroo asked.

“We were going for our morning run when Aki saw him leaving his apartment as well. He wouldn’t stop barking and when I tried to calm him down he just ran at the poor guy, making him spill his coffee all over his shirt.”

Oikawa fumbled with the hem of his shirt, unsure why he was nervous repeating the event to Kuroo. Just thinking about it made him feel embarrassed though especially because he hadn’t seen his neighbour since then and that had been three days ago.

Oikawa had made sure to leave the house at the exact same time the day after that had happened so he could maybe catch a glimpse of his hot neighbour but mostly apologize to him for Aki’s behaviour and offer to get his shirt washed but he hadn’t run into the guy. Oikawa swore he heard the man say he was going to be late for work but maybe he had changed his hours.

Still, leaving the house thirty minutes earlier and later the following two days hadn’t worked either.

The illogical part of his brain told him that Iwaizumi was avoiding him. The other part suggested that he had moved out but Oikawa hated both options so he decided that there was a third reason, which he just hadn’t thought of yet.

“Did he yell at you?” Kuroo asked.

“No, he just muttered something about being late for work and went back inside,” Oikawa admitted. “I haven’t seen him since so maybe he  _did_  want to yell at me but just hasn’t gotten the chance,” Oikawa continued.

“That’s stupid,” Kuroo rolled his eyes, not bothering to sugar coat his words. “And Aki seems to like everyone else, which I’d have never expected to see with my own two eyes so hey, one person versus the rest of the world: what’s the big deal?” Kuroo shrugged, patting the top of Aki’s head as he returned the blue rubber ball to Kuroo’s awaiting palm.

Kuroo took the ball, wiping the drool on the grass next to where he and Oikawa had settled down before throwing it again as far as he could, careful to stay away from the pond or large groups of people.

Oikawa watched Aki run off again before he turned to Kuroo to give him a pointed look at his indifference.

“ _Oh_ ,” Kuroo dragged out the syllables, lips curving up into a knowing grin. He quickly schooled his features when he was met by a dirty glare from Oikawa. “Maybe Aki knows he’s a terrible guy and is just warning you before you get invested,” he offered.

“I don’t think Aki’s that perceptive. Yesterday he dragged me to that scammer who hangs around Shinjuku station offering discount vacation prices to Singapore and kept pawing at my pant leg where he knows I keep my wallet,” Oikawa deadpanned. “And then this morning he tried to lick the lady who lives one floor below me – you know, the one who keeps threatening to have Aki put down because he ‘ _ate her cat_ ,’” Oikawa rolled his eyes. “ _And then_  the day before yesterday he—”

“Okay, I get it,  _sheesh_ ,” Kuroo cut Oikawa off. “Your dog’s got bad judgement call, what do you want me to say?”

“Comfort me, you asshole,” Oikawa scowled.

“ _How_?”

“I don’t know, that’s your job to figure out,” Oikawa mumbled, pulling Aki to the side and picking out the leaves from his fur before they got too hidden beneath his thick mane. Aki sat still and patiently waited as Oikawa groomed him, looking pleased with himself for the attention he was getting.

Oikawa couldn’t help but think that he was spoiled but he wouldn’t have it any other way. With just the two of them at home it was easy to pour all his attention on his dog. At first, it was because Aki needed to be trained but the older he got, the more of a companion he became, joining Oikawa most days.

Sometimes, Oikawa even took him to work. The director of the agency loved Aki and sometimes Yahaba would dress him up and let Aki pretend he was in a photo shoot. When he was being pampered it was like he didn’t care who was around him. Although Oikawa had a feeling that Aki's indifference didn't extend to Iwaizumi.

“Maybe he’s jealous,” Kuroo suggested.

“Who? Aki?” Oikawa asked, smoothing down his fur.

“Yeah,” Kuroo agreed. “Who knows what dogs are thinking but I do know that you’re not very subtle when it comes to people you like. You were probably off staring at the guy’s ass or better yet his arms. Poor Aki felt neglected,” Kuroo smiled teasingly, reaching a hand out to run across Aki’s forehead.

“You know what, fuck you,” Oikawa cursed. Aki barked and wagged his tail, making Kuroo burst into loud laughter.

“Oh come on, you know I’m just joking,” he promised.

“No you’re not,” Oikawa snapped back.

“All right, fine, maybe there was a little bit of truth to my statement but can you blame me? You get so  _starstruck_  when really it should be the other way around. I bet the guy doesn’t even know who you are,” Kuroo amended.

Oikawa shook his head in disbelief, cheeks flushing at Kuroo’s backhanded compliment.

“You’re not making him any less desirable, you know. Kuroo he’s so hot I don’t know what to do,” he whined, dropping his head down in defeat.

“There, there,” Kuroo patted the top of Oikawa’s head dutifully. “You’ll be fine,” he promised.

Oikawa made a sound somewhere between a whine and a groan which only made Kuroo stifle his laugh and Aki lick across Oikawa’s cheek in support until Oikawa pulled away, dragging the back of his palm over where his dog had just slobbered on him.

He was acting pathetic and he knew it. He had promised himself he was going to have a positive outlook but he was failing miserably.

Oikawa was lucky his friend was willing to put up with his bullshit. If it were anyone else, they’d have told him to suck it up. Maybe that’s what he needed though. He made a mental note to bring up his problems to Tsukishima next week if he wasn’t over the moping by then; the younger man was blunt to a fault and wouldn’t let Oikawa suffer for long even if Oikawa was sure he was going to be subjected to a lot of harsh words.

But Tsukishima was a good friend too and he always took Oikawa out after a stern talking to. They hadn’t gone out in a long time though and Oikawa perked up at the thought of having a guy’s night out with him and Kuroo. They could always invite some of the others as well: Yahaba and Akaashi.  

The optimistic thoughts had Oikawa feeling good about himself again and the rest of the afternoon passed by quickly after that.

They played with Aki in the park for another two hours until finally the sun had set and it was getting dark enough that Oikawa felt uncomfortable letting Aki off his leash.

Yoyogi Park was only a twenty-minute walk from his apartment building but one growl from Kuroo’s stomach and Oikawa had been dragged in the opposite direction to get dinner. He wanted to complain but he was hungry too and thankfully, Kuroo wanted to go the ramen restaurant with the owner that always let Aki in, even serving him some food along with them.  

By the time they were finished dinner, it was 10 pm but Oikawa wasn’t sleepy. This was the first day in a long time that he had a bit of a break. Between working at the agency and travelling  _for_  work for the spring season, he hadn’t realized how good it felt to just relax and do nothing. But the busy time of the year was coming to an end, just in time for summer.

“Wanna watch a movie or something? I’ve got  _Annihilation_  on Blu-ray and I know how much you’ve been dying to watch it,” Oikawa offered.

“Ugh,  _yes_ ,” Kuroo agreed. “Anything with Natalie Portman is immediately a good movie. But a sexy, scientist Natalie Portman? How the fuck am I supposed to say no to that?” he demanded, following Oikawa down the road to Oikawa’s apartment instead of turning towards his.

“Objectively speaking, she  _is_  very attractive,” Oikawa agreed.

“ _Objectively_?” Kuroo demanded. “Take that back right now,” he yelled, mostly for show.

It wasn’t like Kuroo could actually appreciate more than her looks, considering he was gay, but he found pleasure in being loud.

The shouting riled Aki up who only barked at their discussion, adding to Kuroo’s hype.

When they finally stopped in front of Oikawa’s apartment as he searched for his keys, Aki was looking pleasantly sleepily and Oikawa’s mood had been significantly lifted since that morning.

Oikawa should have realized that the moment of peace was too good to be true. Before he could unlock his front door, Aki started barking, previous drowsiness forgotten in an instant. It didn’t take long for Oikawa to realize that the source of Aki’s sudden aggression was none other than Iwaizumi Hajime.

“What the hell?” Kuroo asked, squatting on the floor so he could calm Aki down. “What’s wrong, Aki?”

“I’m really sorry,” Oikawa apologized embarrassedly, jamming the key into the lock.

“Huh? Who are you apologizing to?” Kuroo asked, not having noticed Iwaizumi’s presence. When he looked up to see that Oikawa wasn’t talking to him and that Iwaizumi was standing there awkwardly, a beat of recognition crossed his face. “Oh shit, you weren’t lying,” he whistled, trying his best not to laugh at his friend’s expense.

“It’s fine,” Iwaizumi waved off, voice strained.

He looked tired and Oikawa braced himself for a lecture this time around but it didn’t come.

Hell, Iwaizumi didn’t even bother to continue the conversation past brushing off Oikawa’s apology,  _again_. He reached for his own keys, somehow managing to open his own door before Oikawa had, disappearing into his apartment.

The moment he was out of sight, Aki stopped barking, turned around and lay back on the ground, resting his head on his folded legs.

Oikawa pursed his lips, unamused with the Akita’s antics but he didn’t have the heart to scold him. Eventually, Oikawa pulled himself out of his daze as he managed to open his door, ushering both Kuroo and Aki inside.

The moment the door closed, Oikawa let out a pathetic whine, kicking off his shoes. He headed for the sofa and plopped down, not bothering to clean off Aki’s feet and fur lest he dragged mud through the apartment.

“I hate my life,” Oikawa complained miserably.

“Why? Because your neighbour’s hot and he doesn’t like you?” Kuroo asked, plopping down on the couch next to Oikawa.

“Because my neighbour’s hot and he doesn’t like me,” Oikawa confirmed, lip jutting out in a pout.

“To be fair, you did let your dog almost maul him,” Kuroo reminded, head jerking to the Akita whose ears perked up at his mention.

“I did  _not_  ‘ _let him_!’” Oikawa shouted, appalled by the accusation. “I’ll have you know, I didn’t give Aki  _any_  treats that day for what he did. Do you know how difficult it was to look into those puppy dog eyes and have to resist the temptation?” Oikawa demanded.

“I wonder what it’s like to have big, brown eyes woefully stare at you,” Kuroo deadpanned, sarcasm dripping from his every word.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Oikawa snapped.

“Nothing, relax,” Kuroo put his hands up in defense. “The guy  _just_  moved in, right?”

“Iwaizumi? Obviously, otherwise you’d have heard about him a long time ago. Did you not see how hot he was?” Oikawa asked, slightly offended on his neighbour’s behalf for Kuroo’s lack of appreciation for his face and body.

Kuroo’s expression dropped, completely unamused. “I don’t even want to know how you know his name. But yeah okay, so he’s new. Why don’t you just, I don’t know, bake him a ‘ _Welcome to the Neighbourhood_ ’ cake or something and use it as an excuse to talk to him?” he asked.

Oikawa opened his mouth, ready to retort Kuroo’s suggestion until the words sunk in. The angry comeback died on his tongue as he mulled over Kuroo’s proposition, eyes turning contemplative.

“That’s not… that’s not a bad idea,” he admitted quietly. “But that doesn’t solve the fact that Aki hates him,” he reminded.

Kuroo heaved a heavy sigh. “You’ve got to ease into it, Oikawa. First get him talk to you then find a way to bring Aki around. If Aki’s with you every time you try to talk to him then it’s not going to work. You’ll scare him off for sure.”

“God, I  _hate_  it when you’re right,” Oikawa muttered.

“ _Please_ ,” Kuroo rolled his eyes. “You’re a lost cause without me.”  

Oikawa didn’t argue that aside from a few grumbled insults under his breath, if only because Kuroo’s advice  _was_  good and at least he was taking Oikawa’s current predicament seriously.

As he directed Kuroo to where the movie was located and spread his legs out over the couch while his friend got snacks, Oikawa realized that he really  _was_  a lost cause without Kuroo.

He had been the first real friend Oikawa had made in Tokyo. Oikawa had done enough advertisements to know that people could be incredibly competitive in the marketing world but Kuroo hadn’t been like that. He had grown up in Tokyo so he was familiar with the ins and outs of the agency and their fellow models. He had befriended Oikawa of his own will, shared all his knowledge and had made sure Oikawa didn’t feel alone.

Soon enough, what felt like a friendship that could have been a scam turned into something real. Out of everyone he knew, Kuroo probably understood him the best and knew most about Oikawa’s life. He was understanding and patient and for the most part, liked the same things Oikawa did. It was easy to talk to him and after two years, Oikawa was grateful that he could still count on his friend to be there for him.

“Shove over,” Kuroo prompted, kicking Oikawa’s legs lightly as he returned with popcorn and a bag of chips. “And you had better not fall asleep through this or I’m never giving you advice again,” he threatened half-heartedly.

“Whatever,” Oikawa chuckled, sitting back up to lean against one corner of the couch.

He looked to where Aki had last been, a small smile crossing his face when he noticed the steady rise and fall of his dog’s body, indicating that he had fallen asleep.

Tomorrow, Oikawa would need to wash and brush his fur thoroughly considering how he had been rolling around for hours and the last time Oikawa had given him a bath was over a month ago, but for now Oikawa was happy to let him relax. Even if Aki was currently cockblocking Oikawa’s attempts to talk to his neighbour there was nothing Oikawa wouldn’t do for the dog.

Aki meant more to him than anything else so his opinion was important. But if Oikawa followed Kuroo’s plan, he’d hopefully get both things he wanted.

That was tomorrow’s problem though. Right now, he was content with watching a movie, binging junk food and falling asleep on the couch with two of the most important people in his life around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The iwaoi interaction was super short this chapter but I wanted to establish a little bit of their own lives and besides that, I promise that the next chapter is 80% just them with each other. I hope that builds a little bit of hype lol ;__;
> 
> next time:  
> \- Oikawa can't control himself around Iwaizumi; he especially can't control himself around a shirtless Iwaizumi  
> \- "Google it" 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments/kudos are always appreciated ^^ 
> 
> Feel free to hit me up on social media:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [Tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter 3

“Hey, so Takeru bragged to his class about how he has a dog and I only found out today because his teacher called and asked if it was okay to bring Aki in for a show and tell. I couldn’t just expose my son as a liar, right? So I agreed but I forgot to ask you about it and…” Mariko trailed off, hoping that her brother would take the hint.

Oikawa sighed, leaning his head against the window of the taxi that was currently driving him home from the airport.

He had been asked to fly to Hokkaido for the weekend at the last minute and had been forced to leave Aki with his sister. Of course, Takeru had been absolutely thrilled but with Aki’s strange behaviour lately, Oikawa had been a little concerned about how his dog would act around his family.

But he hadn’t heard any complaints over the span of the weekend so he was grateful that everything was okay. It was 4 pm on a Monday afternoon now and he had missed his baby. The first thing he had planned to do after dropping his bag off at his apartment was to take the train to his sister’s place and bring Aki back.

Now though, Oikawa knew he wouldn’t be able to do that.

“How am I supposed to say no when you tell me it’s Takeru’s fault?” he asked.

“So… you’re okay with leaving Aki here another day?”

“Yes, but you’ve got to teach Takeru that lying isn’t okay,” Oikawa added.

“Oh come on, he’s thirteen, what’d you expect?” Mariko asked.

“ _Oneechan_ ,” Oikawa warned.

“ _Okay_ , stop being such a worrywart,” she agreed. “I’ll bring Aki back to you tomorrow afternoon when school is over, okay?” Mariko promised. “And I’ll stay with the class to make sure Aki’s well-behaved although I’ve got to say, he’s been  _really_  good lately. What did you do?” Mariko complimented, the surprise evident in her voice.

Oikawa rolled his eyes at the irony. Of course Aki was behaving himself in front of everyone except for the one person Oikawa wanted him to behave in front of. It was like he was doing it on purpose and Oikawa hated to admit it but maybe Kuroo was right: maybe Aki  _was_  jealous.

But that was ridiculous because he had nothing to be jealous  _about_.

“Beats me,” Oikawa admitted.

“Are you okay?” Mariko asked. “No one’s giving you shit again, are they? Because if they are you know I’ll come down to your studio and kick their ass,” she said, voice suddenly far too serious.

It had taken a few years but the age difference between Oikawa and his sister hadn’t felt so big once Oikawa had made it to high school. By then, his nephew had also been born and his sister had matured from becoming a mother.

Where they used to argue and not get along, now Oikawa could say that he was pretty close to his sister. She was still annoying and bossy and liked to tell Oikawa what to do but she had a good heart and a loyal personality.

During the earlier days of his career, Oikawa had been lucky to have made friends who liked him and treated him well but of course there had been some jealous people who hadn’t taken kindly to his addition to their agency.

They had not so secretly mocked him for his failed professional volleyball career, which at the time had been like pouring salt into an open wound. Oikawa had kept quiet about the harassment, mostly because he had been new and didn’t want to be dropped for a bad attitude but his sister had seen right through his façade. She had weaseled the information out of him and wrote an anonymous letter to the director detailing the harassment that Oikawa was facing.

When Oikawa found out what his sister had done he had been beyond furious with her; he had been absolutely certain that he was going to lose his job. The day he had been called up to the director’s office had been one of the most nerve-wracking moments of his life but instead of being chewed out, he was given a longer contract.

From that day, he made a promise to himself to trust his sister’s insight. She was hotheaded but she was trying to look out for him and he could never fault her for that.

“Everything is fine,” Oikawa promised. “I mean at work anyway. Aki’s just been a little strange lately. I hope he’s not getting sick.”

“He looks healthy to me,” Mariko frowned. “But if you want to take him to the vet I can bring him back today. Takeru shouldn’t have lied to his class, anyway,” she agreed.

“No, it’s fine, I’m just being paranoid. Let Takeru brag about how cool his mother is for letting him get a dog. I’ll see you and Aki tomorrow,” Oikawa smiled.

“Hey, that’s not what—you know what, never mind. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Mariko agreed with a laugh before she hung up.

Oikawa smiled to himself, mood having been lifted slightly by his sister’s sincerity. It was just like Takeru to tell his classmates that he had a dog although Oikawa supposed it was also his fault that Takeru had said that.

The last time Oikawa had been watching Takeru for his sister Takeru had asked Oikawa whose dog Aki was. When Oikawa had said that Aki was his, of course, Takeru had looked crestfallen until Oikawa had quickly added that he was Takeru’s too.

Maybe he shouldn’t have said that but it was too late now.

“Oikawa-san,” the taxi driver called, breaking Oikawa out of thoughts. “We’ve arrived at your apartment building. Do you need help with your bags?”

“No thank you, I’ve only got the one,” Oikawa shook his head, holding out his credit card to pay.

He tapped when the driver passed him the terminal back to the front before getting out. He grabbed his suitcase from the trunk and made sure to bid the other man a good day before he entered his building.

There was no fancy doorman or receptionist but Oikawa liked his apartment building just fine. There was a large waiting area in the lobby decorated with white leather chairs and a shiny chandelier. The amenities included a pool on the roof that was only open during the summer months and a gym on the first floor.

The added bonus for Oikawa was that it was pet-friendly, in a safe neighbourhood and not as gaudy as some of the higher end places in Chuo could be. He didn’t want to live somewhere where he could see his face on billboards and advertisement screens all too often.

Shibuya was a good mix of modern and traditional. With Meiji Shrine not too far from his doorstep and tons of entertainment options around the area as well, there was always something that Oikawa could do on a night or even a day out. 

Kuroo lived in Shinjuku, which was equally nice but a little too crowded for Oikawa’s tastes. Oikawa was just grateful that his friend didn’t live too far away. His sister on the other hand lived all the way in Edogawa, which was a better environment for raising a family but made travelling to see his sister and nephew a little more difficult.

Still, it was better than being separated by hours on a train.

The thought of his family reminded him that he had the day off, which he could have spent sleeping but suddenly, Oikawa remembered Kuroo’s proposition from a few days ago. With Aki staying at his sister’s place for another night, this was Oikawa’s chance to properly introduce himself to his neighbour.

The fact that he hadn’t slept properly on the plane or that he wasn’t going to get to see Aki for another day didn’t matter anymore. Oikawa was full of energy at the mere thought of talking to Iwaizumi for more than a few seconds and saying something other than ‘ _I’m sorry_ ’ to the man.

Iwaizumi’s previous aloofness didn’t deter Oikawa from happily putting his bag away, changing into a pair of comfy sweats and a t-shirt and bringing up all the baking recipes he had bookmarked on his laptop.

After going through his pantry and figuring out what ingredients he did and didn’t have, Oikawa settled on a fluffy matcha cheesecake. It was light, simple enough to bake, and Oikawa was pretty certain that just about everyone loved matcha.

With music playing from his Bluetooth speakers and his mind focused on the task at hand, the few hours it took to complete the cake passed by in a blink of an eye. By the time the dessert had cooled down and Oikawa had packed it in a box topped with a blue ribbon it was 7 pm.

It was only when Oikawa was changing into a pair of jeans and a nicer t-shirt did the realization of what he was doing hit him. If it was any other neighbour, he wouldn’t have been so nervous but Iwaizumi was  _really_  good looking and a little intimidating with how built he was. Oikawa liked him – physically speaking, at any rate – and the fact that he hadn’t bothered to utter more than a few words to Oikawa had Oikawa feeling inadequate in comparison.

Still, he had baked the cake and he wasn’t going to let the opportunity go to waste now. If Iwaizumi didn’t want it then he’d just eat it by himself at home and if the man ended up telling him to get lost, then well, at least Oikawa had Aki to bark at him menacingly every time they ran into one another.

It was the last thought that pushed Oikawa to put on his shoes and knock on Iwaizumi’s front door.

He hadn’t even registered the fact that Iwaizumi might not be home until a few seconds passed between his first knock, then his second, and there was no answer at the door.

Oikawa frowned, losing some of his earlier confidence the longer he stood outside the closed door. It was 7 pm on a Monday evening. Iwaizumi  _should_  have been home, right? Oikawa lifted his hand to knock a third time, promising himself that this was the final try before he retreated to his own apartment.

A few seconds later, the door opened and Oikawa opened his mouth to repeat his practiced speech about how he wanted to welcome Iwaizumi to the building but the words died on his tongue and his throat ran dry when he caught sight of Iwaizumi with his hair slightly dishevelled, a sleepy expression on his face, and  _bare chested_.

Holy shit, this was  _unfair_.

As a model, Oikawa was expected to keep his body in good condition: muscled but not too built, lean but not skinny.

Iwaizumi was nothing like that and Oikawa had never been more attracted to a man in his life. Iwaizumi was sinewy, strong ridges falling over large muscles. His shoulders were broad, extending to arms that were thick, bumpy veins running along the length. Oikawa tore his eyes away from Iwaizumi’s arms only for them to land on his chest, following it down to his happy trail that dipped into his sweatpants because of how  _low_  he was wearing them.

 _Fuck_.

He was shorter than Oikawa by a few centimetres but he more than made up for that with his powerful build. Oikawa had already known Iwaizumi’s physique was something to be marvelled at; if he could notice it when he was fully clothed, there was no reason he wouldn’t have been able to when the man was shirtless.

But that was the problem. Oikawa had been left breathless the first time but this time around, he was  _frozen_. His brain could barely comprehend what was happening and he wasn’t sure he was even capable of words.

“Are you okay?” Iwaizumi asked, drowsiness falling into concern.

“ _Oh my god_ ,” Oikawa managed to utter before he realized he had said so aloud.

His face burned red, hands trembling under the weight of the boxed cake.

He had to get out of there. He had to get back to his own apartment and possibly hide in there forever.

Oikawa quickly shoved the box against Iwaizumi’s chest. He was lucky that his neighbour brought his hands up to take the cake before Oikawa let go of it, not even thinking about how it could have splattered on the ground, before he turned around and not so calmly walked back to his own apartment.

By some miracle, he had thought to keep the door unlocked making the retreat easier.

As soon as he was inside, he locked the door, slid to the ground, slapped his face a few times to bring himself back to reality and dialled Kuroo’s number.

“I thought you’d have been sleeping considering how much you complained about being tired on the plane,” Kuroo answered.

“I fucked up!” Oikawa wailed.

“What are you talking about?” Kuroo asked.

“Well I did what you said. I made Iwaizumi a cake – which was super nicely done by the way – prepared a whole speech on how it was great to have a new face in the neighbourhood and planned some lead-ups to questions on where he had moved from, what kind of work he did, among other things. I even had an apology ready for Aki spilling coffee on him that first time.”

“ _Okay_ , I don’t see what the problem is,” Kuroo said, confused.  

“Well the fucking problem is that none of that happened! I froze, Kuroo! I just  _stood there_  like an idiot just because he wasn’t wearing a shirt. And then when he asked me if I was okay I just shoved the cake in his chest and walked back to my apartment,” Oikawa recalled.

Oikawa could hear Kuroo laughing on the other end of the line and as much as he wanted to yell at his friend for not being supportive he couldn’t blame him. If their roles had been reversed, Oikawa would for sure have been laughing at his friend’s expense.

“At least you didn’t  _run_  back?” Kuroo offered between laughs.

“I hate  _everything_ ,” Oikawa moaned, dropping his head back against the front door with a soft  _thud_. “I’m so mortified, what am I supposed to do now?” he asked.

“Look, Oikawa, I don’t know what to tell you. I can’t give you any more advice until you learn to control yourself around him. Yeah okay, he’s hot but you’ve got to relax,” Kuroo said, sobering up at the sound of Oikawa’s genuine distress.

“You’re right,” Oikawa agreed, taking a few deep breaths. “You’re right,” he repeated, standing up off the ground. “You’re—” A loud knock on his front door cut Oikawa off from repeating the same two words for a third time.

He peered through the peephole in his door, eyes widening at the sight of Iwaizumi standing there with the box Oikawa had thrust into his hands, albeit this time wearing a shirt, hair looking a little more kempt than earlier.

“ _Oh my god Kuroo, it’s him_ ,” Oikawa whispered.

“Who? Iwaizumi? Shit, Oikawa, don’t freak out,” Kuroo said quickly. “Oikawa, are you even listening? I swear to god if you—”

Oikawa hung up, shutting out Kuroo’s voice. There were really only two options here. The first was to not answer the door but Iwaizumi had clearly seen Oikawa go back into his apartment so not answering the door would just be rude. The second option was to face his neighbour and come up with some kind of excuse for his weird behaviour but there was nothing valid Oikawa could say.

Either way, Iwaizumi was going to think he was strange so Oikawa took the chance and threw the door open, coming face to face with the man who had him feeling so nervous in the first place.

“I don’t know if you meant to give this to me but I figured from your reaction you had gotten the wrong door,” Iwaizumi explained, holding the unopened cake box out for Oikawa to take back.

“No,” Oikawa shook his head, clearing his throat so that his words didn’t sound so hoarse. “No, it  _was_  for you,” Oikawa admitted, cheeks burning.

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Oikawa agreed, fiddling with the lock on his door as he waited for Iwaizumi to continue the conversation or walk away.

“Thanks, uhm, what is it?” he asked, jerking his head down to the box that was still in his hands.

“It’s a matcha cheesecake,” Oikawa answered.

He mentally chided himself for being so blunt. Usually, he was good at keeping conversations going but something about Iwaizumi was making him lose his words. Oikawa wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. He was  _never_  this uncoordinated.

Oikawa prided himself on being friendly and approachable. He was good at getting along with people, good at making friends, even if temporarily. Maybe it was the lack of a real relationship for the past few years that was making him freeze up or maybe it was because Oikawa had finally met his match. Whatever it was, he didn’t like it.

“Is this because of what your dog did?” Iwaizumi asked, breaking Oikawa out of his thoughts. “Because you really didn’t have to.”

“What? No, it was supposed to be a gesture to welcome you to the neighbourhood but uh… I guess part of it was also to apologize for Aki’s behaviour,” Oikawa admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Iwaizumi’s smile made him relax if only for a moment before he realized how nice and sincere his neighbour looked. That realization had Oikawa’s nerves bundling up in a mess of short-circuiting neurons, sending him mixed signals on how to act.

“Well, thank you, I appreciate it,” Iwaizumi answered gratefully. “I’m Iwaizumi Hajime by the way,” he introduced himself.

“Oikawa Tooru,” Oikawa returned the gesture, biting his tongue to keep himself from saying something stupid like ‘I know,’ which would have just sounded weird.

“I know this is a bit of a stupid ask, but do you have a cake knife or even a butter knife I could borrow? Most of my stuff hasn’t come in yet and I’ve just been eating takeout between shifts so…” Iwaizumi trailed off, looking down at the box in his hands.

“Oh,  _oh_  yeah of course!” Oikawa nodded.

He let go of the door, about to head into the kitchen to retrieve a knife for Iwaizumi before he remembered how rude it would be to slam the door on Iwaizumi’s face, even if it was an accident. Oikawa caught the door with his foot at the last minute, apologizing with a sheepish look, eyes lighting up with a better idea.

“Do you want to come in?” he asked hopefully.

“Uhm…” Iwaizumi hesitated.

Oikawa felt his confidence wane at the man’s reluctance. He resisted the urge to look down at his feet, instead watching Iwaizumi’s gaze look past Oikawa into the apartment in search of something.

“Aki’s not here,” Oikawa said after a moment, realization dawning on him. “He’s at my sister’s because I was away over the weekend and my nephew wanted to keep him for one more day,” he explained, praying that Iwaizumi didn’t think he was over sharing.

“Yeah, okay then,” Iwaizumi agreed with a small chuckle. “I bet you think it’s pretty stupid to be wary of a dog, huh?” he asked, slipping off his shoes as the front door closed behind him.

“No,” Oikawa shook his head with a smile. “Aki’s a bit of a pain in the ass when it comes to strangers and after what he did to you, I don’t blame you. I am really sorry about that by the way,” Oikawa apologized.

He slid over a pair of house slippers for Iwaizumi, pointing out where the kitchen was even though Oikawa was pretty certain that their apartments had the exact same layout.

“It’s okay, no harm done,” Iwaizumi insisted. “Is he neutered? It’s mating season isn’t it?” Iwaizumi asked, following Oikawa to the kitchen.

He put the box down on an empty spot on the kitchen counter, which was difficult considering the mess the kitchen was in. Most of the dishes, while washed, were still sitting in the drying rack and the dishes from today that Oikawa had used to make the cake gave away what he had spent his evening on. If Iwaizumi thought that Oikawa was messy, he didn’t comment.

In general, Oikawa  _wasn’t_  a messy person. He put his dishes away in the morning after leaving them to dry overnight but he had only learned he was supposed to fly to Hokkaido for the weekend late Friday night. That Saturday morning had been hectic; between making sure he had his documents and all his clothes, Oikawa didn’t have the time to put away his dishes.

“He is,” Oikawa confirmed, “which makes the whole thing stranger. You know a lot about dogs, huh, Iwa-chan?” he asked.

The moment the question was out of his mouth Oikawa wanted to cover his face with his hands.  _Iwa-chan_. What the hell? Where had that even  _come from_? His lack of filter and nerves weren’t doing him any favours at the moment.

Oikawa expected Iwaizumi to tell him off – no grown man wanted a childish nickname, a  _familiar_  nickname, from a stranger no less – but Iwaizumi only chuckled and raised an eyebrow in amusement, not bothering to acknowledge Oikawa’s nickname for him beyond that.

“I used to have a dog growing up: a Border Collie and Jack Russell mix.”

“Oh,” Oikawa’s face fell.

He turned away from Iwaizumi to grab a plate from the cabinet. He turned to the other side to grab a knife and a fork as well.

“Did I say something wrong?” Iwaizumi asked.

When Oikawa turned back to where he had placed the plate for Iwaizumi, he noticed that his neighbour had taken a second one from Oikawa’s cabinets. He got lost in the gesture for a few moments before he realized that Iwaizumi had asked him a question.

“It’s not that,” Oikawa reassured, busying himself with filling a kettle. “It’s the fact that you know how to handle dogs and Aki still doesn’t like you that’s unsettling,” Oikawa admitted.

Iwaizumi laughed lightly at Oikawa’s concern. “Maybe he misses your old neighbour; dogs can be pretty territorial,” Iwaizumi assured.  

The ease with which he made excuses for Aki made Oikawa’s heart speed up. Not only was Iwaizumi incredibly good looking but he was nice too. Oikawa couldn’t believe his luck – or maybe lack of luck considering how the only time he was actually getting to talk to Iwaizumi was when Aki wasn’t present.

It wasn’t like he could just keep his dog and Iwaizumi away from one another at all times – but that was getting ahead of himself and Oikawa stopped those thoughts from developing any further than the conversation that was occurring between him and Iwaizumi at the moment.

“I don’t think so. My old neighbour  _hated_  Aki and didn’t bother to hide his dislike,” Oikawa confessed sheepishly. He kept his hands busy

“That’s fine, I’m sure he’ll come around,” Iwaizumi continued, not letting Oikawa fester in his timidity for long. “So, do you do this for all your new neighbours?” he asked, changing the subject back to the cake.

Oikawa chuckled embarrassedly. If he didn’t know any better, he would have said that Iwaizumi was trying to flirt with him but that couldn’t be it, right?

“I mean, you’re the only new person whose moved in on this floor since I did so who knows, maybe I’ll start a tradition,” he shrugged, smiling as he offered Iwaizumi a cup of tea to go with his cake.

Oikawa led the other man to the makeshift dining room, which was really just an extension off the kitchen and the living room. There was a small, square wooden table with enough seats for only four but whenever Oikawa had guests over no one used the dining table, anyway. It was always the couch and the rug in the living room where they ate.

“Did you move in recently too?” Iwaizumi asked.

“If by recently you mean two years, then no,” Oikawa smiled. “It’s a nice place with a decent rent considering it’s in the heart of one of the most tourist-heavy areas in Tokyo so people don’t really want to move out of here.”

“That’s fair, I guess I did get pretty lucky,” Iwaizumi agreed.

He waited for Oikawa to take a seat before pulling out a chair of his own. While Oikawa cut the cake and placed two slices in a plate for each of them, Iwaizumi poured the tea for Oikawa.

“You and me both,” Oikawa muttered under his breath, taking the kettle from Iwaizumi to pour out into his cup before Iwaizumi could do it for himself.

“What?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Nothing,” Oikawa said quickly, flashing him a bright grin that probably didn’t look very convincing with the way the tips of his ears burned red.

Iwaizumi didn’t push it. He smiled at Oikawa, settling back into his chair comfortably. For someone who had been intimidated by Aki every single time they had run into one another, he was quite receptive of Oikawa’s invitation to come into his apartment.

Oikawa didn’t know what he had been thinking at the time but he was glad that he had opened the door despite his initial embarrassment and had allowed his brain to feed him words without filtering them or running them through the copious bad scenarios that they were usually susceptible to.

Iwaizumi ate the cake Oikawa had baked, complimenting him on the taste, drank the tea that was put in front of him and continued the conversation long after he had insisted that he was done and shouldn’t have any more sweets until he went to the gym.

Oikawa had almost blurted out at that point that it didn’t look like Iwaizumi’s body was going to take a blow from one more slice but he stopped himself at the last minute, coughing away the few words that had managed to slip out.

He embarrassed himself on multiple occasions, definitely said the wrong thing more than once and even kicked Iwaizumi under the table in his excitement but none of that deterred the other man. Iwaizumi had even suggested they exchange numbers, sheepishly asking Oikawa if it was okay that he asked him for help getting familiar with the neighbourhood since it was his first time here.

Iwaizumi was so kind that Oikawa had to ask himself multiple times whether this was a dream. But it wasn’t.

On top of answering all of Oikawa’s questions, Iwaizumi kept the conversation going, asking questions of his own. He didn’t make any excuses to leave even though Oikawa was pretty certain that he had woken his neighbour up mid-nap. 

When Oikawa had pointed that out, he had learned that Iwaizumi was working a graveyard shift at the police station, which had explained why Oikawa had run into him at such different times in the past week since he had moved in.

“Where’d you move from?” Oikawa asked, bringing his legs up to his chest.

Sometime between the cake and the conversation they had changed locations from the dining room to the couch, the dirty plates forgotten on the table.

“Miyagi,” Iwaizumi answered.

“Sendai?” Oikawa asked, eyes round.

“No, Matsushima. Why?” Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes. “Are  _you_  from Sendai?”

“ _Yes_!” Oikawa laughed. “That’s such a weird coincidence.”

“Tell me about it,” Iwaizumi smiled. “Did you move here for work too?” he asked.

Oikawa wrinkled his nose in thought. “I guess, something like that. Mostly because my mum died and I didn’t really have anything back in Miyagi anymore and I spent four years in Tokyo for university so I was familiar with the area,” he explained.

“Oh,” Iwaizumi mumbled, eyes downcast. “I’m sorry to hear that, Oikawa,” he said honestly.

“That’s all right. It’s not like it’s a secret, anyway. Anyone can Google that kind of information so it would have been stupid to not tell you,” he said sincerely.

It really  _wasn’t_  a secret. One of the first things that popped up under Oikawa’s profile when his name was searched on the Internet was his family history. With his parents having split up when he was young, his sister having turned into a single parent at eighteen, his professional volleyball career that he had seemingly given up out of nowhere and his mother’s untimely death, Oikawa’s family history was a goldmine to the tabloids.

From Iwaizumi’s confused look, Oikawa could safely say that he didn’t know anything about who Oikawa was or what his profession was.

“What do you mean anyone can  _Google_  that kind of information?” His bafflement only served to make Oikawa burst into laughter. Thankfully, Iwaizumi didn’t take offense to it. “What—what kind of a normal person  _says that_?”

“Who says I was normal?” Oikawa quipped, which only made Iwaizumi’s jaw drop.

Iwaizumi wasn’t given the chance to push the topic however. The loud ring of his alarm caused a pause in conversation as Iwaizumi shot up off the couch, hand reaching into the pocket of his sweats for his phone.

“Shit,” he cursed. “I’ve got to go and get ready for work,” he apologized. “Thanks for the cake Oikawa, it was really nice meeting you,” he repeated, words rushed but genuine as he put his shoes back on.

The disappointment Oikawa felt at the abrupt end in their conversation was made better by the knowledge that Iwaizumi had seemed to truly enjoy Oikawa’s baking and spending time with him.

Oikawa followed him to the genkan, schooling his features to not look too thwarted. “What about the rest of it? It was supposed to be for you…” Oikawa reminded, eyes falling back to the dining table where the uneaten cake sat.

Iwaizumi frowned, thinking about it. “Do you mind keeping it for now? I don’t have a fridge yet either. Sorry, you probably think I’m so disorganized,” he smiled apologetically.

“Not at all. I’ll keep it on one condition though,” he bargained. “Bring two cups of coffee from that store down the street across from the park the next time you want to eat it. The cake tastes much better with coffee than tea,” Oikawa explained, answering Iwaizumi’s curious look.

“Done,” Iwaizumi accepted with a smile. “I’ll see you later, Oikawa.”

“See you later, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa bid him goodbye, trying to gauge whether the first time Iwaizumi just hadn’t heard what Oikawa had called him or dismissed it because he hadn’t cared.

When Iwaizumi didn’t argue the nickname, Oikawa couldn’t explain the burst of giddiness that shot through him. It made watching him leave all the more disappointing but they  _had_  made plans to hang out again. Whether it was tomorrow, the next day or a week from now was uncertain but Oikawa’s optimism had been restored.

“Hey,” Iwaizumi said, stopping just short of walking out the front door, “you never did tell me what you did. You know I’m a police officer. What kind of work do you do?” Iwaizumi reminded.

“Google it,” Oikawa teased.

“Don’t think I won’t,” Iwaizumi retorted, biting his lower lip to hide a smile.

Oikawa closed his eyes, a wide grin stretching across his face at the banter. He didn’t reply to Iwaizumi’s statement, certain that if he did their conversation would go on longer. While in theory that sounded like a great idea, Oikawa didn’t want to be the reason why Iwaizumi was late for his shift.

For now, he was content knowing that he  _could_  act like a normal human being around his neighbour and that he had his number and plans to see him again, whenever that may be, even if Aki hadn’t been here to change the course this time around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The past two weeks have been super busy for me. Between starting a new position and an unexpected family emergency, I haven't had much time to write or post but I hope this chapter made up for the last one's lack of iwaoi interaction!
> 
> next time:  
> \- Iwaizumi meets Oikawa's sister and nephew  
> \- what's the point in having family if they're not going to embarrass you a bit, right?
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments/kudos are always appreciated ^^ 
> 
> Feel free to hit me up on social media:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [Tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little late but never the less it's still Friday for me! 
> 
> I forgot to include this last week's notes but I want to share with you all the two wonderful fanarts (linked below) that [@flunfun](https://twitter.com/vackerpudding) has done for this fic! Victoria is such a kind and sweet person and I'd appreciate it if you could show her some love by checking out her work!
> 
> [[1]](https://twitter.com/vackerpudding/status/1032213569096634369) // [[2]](https://twitter.com/vackerpudding/status/1032340416438460418)
> 
> Victoria, I want to thank you for your continued support and your friendship! You've been nothing but kind to me and I am so so so floored that you would take the time to draw such amazing art for this fic *_* Your Twitter posts about Foxie are one of my biggest inspirations for this fic ♡

“What are you smiling at?” Bokuto asked, leaning over Iwaizumi’s shoulder to peer at his screen.

Iwaizumi hadn’t realized Bokuto’s proximity until he had turned his head and came a mere inches from his partner’s jaw.

“Nothing,” he said quickly, shoving his phone back into the top drawer of his locker.

“Sure didn’t look like nothing to me,” Bokuto whistled, reading right through Iwaizumi’s façade. “You got a girlfriend or something?” he asked, not unkindly.

The comment made Iwaizumi flush harder because  _no_  he did not have a girlfriend. He didn’t even like girls – romantically, anyway. Bokuto’s brazen comment arguably made the situation worse because Iwaizumi couldn’t deny that he  _had_  been smiling at a text on his phone but it had been from Oikawa and he definitely  _liked_  Oikawa.

When Iwaizumi had been woken up from his sleep before his shift by a knock at the front door, he had figured he’d tell the person they got the wrong apartment then go back to sleep. After all, he didn’t know enough people in Tokyo to have friends drop by unannounced.

What – or  _who_  – Iwaizumi had opened the door to certainly was not what he had been expecting.

Oikawa was weird,definitely, but he was also kind and  _charming_  and he did this scrunching thing with his nose when he was trying to think that made Iwaizumi want to reach over and hold his hand and maybe kiss him.

But those weren’t the kinds of thoughts that were appropriate to have about his neighbour whom Iwaizumi had  _just_  met.  

Although Oikawa didn’t act like they were practically strangers to one another, which made Iwaizumi feel far happier than he probably should have.

His mind replayed the text message he had just been looking at, wondering what someone who didn’t know that they had just met would think about it. Oikawa had sent him a couple of pictures of himself, and what Iwaizumi could only assume were his mother and sister at a beach in Matsushima, presumably on vacation.

The pictures had been accompanied by a message that more or less read that they could have met a long time ago. Iwaizumi tried not to be hopeful about the implications behind those words. For the time being though, he was happy knowing that Oikawa liked him enough to initiate sending him a text even though it had been Iwaizumi who had requested that they exchange numbers.

The timestamp on the texts had been from midnight, just a few hours after Iwaizumi had left Oikawa’s apartment. He tried not to think about how that meant that Oikawa had been thinking about him before he got ahead of himself but his mind kept jumping back to those texts and how cute Oikawa had been as a child.

“No,” Iwaizumi chuckled sheepishly, answering Bokuto’s question before he got lost in his thoughts and embarrassed himself. “Not a girlfriend,” he reassured.

“You sure?” Bokuto asked, eyes narrowed slightly in scepticism. “A boyfriend then,” he corrected, eyes lighting up.

Iwaizumi was grateful that he had chosen that moment to pull his shirt over his head, using the material to hide his spluttering.

“ _What_?”

It wasn’t like Iwaizumi was ashamed of his sexual preference but it also wasn’t the kind of information that he shared voluntarily given the prejudice in his career choice. While the past week had proven to Iwaizumi that Bokuto was trustworthy,  _loyal_  even, he didn’t know him besides what they had learned about one another through regular shifts at the desk.

“Hey man, I’m not going to judge,” Bokuto said quickly, putting his hands up in defense.

He lowered his voice, despite the fact that they were the only people left in the locker room. Iwaizumi had been made to wait for the showers—inititation as a rookie despite the fact that he wasn’t  _really_  new. Bokuto had been kind enough to wait with him and give him some company. He could have gone home, he didn’t need to be nice to Iwaizumi off shift, but he still was. It was that recognition that made up Iwaizumi’s mind on the subject.

“It’s not my business—hell, it’s no one’s business but your own. I’m sorry if I offended you though,” Bokuto apologized.

“I mean, you’re only half wrong,” Iwaizumi offered a small smile. “No boyfriend  _right now_ ,” he elaborated.

“Oh,” Bokuto nodded his head quickly. “Oh, yeah, that’s cool. Really cool. I mean, not  _really_  cool but I mean not  _not_  really cool,” he blabbered on.

Iwaizumi put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him before he embarrassed himself too much. “You don’t have to say anything about it. We’re okay,” he assured.

Bokuto relaxed, face splitting into an easy grin. “You know, I’ve never been romantically interested in a guy before but who knows, right? I mean, objectively speaking you’re a good looking dude,” he teased, as if there hadn’t been a moment of tension between them in the first place.

“Shut up,” Iwaizumi scowled, shoving Bokuto away.

It only made his partner laugh harder but there was no malice in his voice or behind his words. And he didn’t push the subject of why Iwaizumi had been idling, staring at his phone every few seconds, which Iwaizumi took as a win, until they headed out to the parking lot, about to part ways for the day.

Bokuto stopped him just as Iwaizumi was about to bid him a goodbye and head for his car, which he unfortunately had to park in the worst spot near the leaking sewer grate; perks of being the new guy at the finest.

“Wanna do something later tonight? There’s a bar not too far from here and I know some of the other guys were planning on hitting it up tonight. I’ll introduce you to some more people in the department,” Bokuto offered.  

Iwaizumi hesitated and he didn’t know why. The obvious answer was to say yes: Bokuto was his partner and they’d be working together every day. It would be good to get to know more people that he worked with as well yet, a part of him wanted to go home, maybe talk to Oikawa again.

He knew it was stupid considering he had  _just_  met the guy properly last night and yeah Oikawa had told him to come by again to get his cake but he probably hadn’t mean the  _next day_.

“It’s fine I get it,” Bokuto laughed, making Iwaizumi’s decision easy for him. “I’ll let you off the hook this time but you can’t make any excuses next time around, even if that means bringing your boyfriend along,” he teased, throwing Iwaizumi a quick wink and a wave before he headed off towards his car.

For a moment, Iwaizumi thought that he may have offended Bokuto. Still rooted to the spot, flushed with embarrassment, Iwaizumi pulled out his phone that had just gone off.

 **From: Bokuto**  
[Subject: (No subject)]  
_> > Why are you still standing there like an idiot?_  
_> > I thought you had a ~date~_

 **To: Bokuto**  
[Subject: (No subject)]  
_> > Wtf how’d you even get my number?_

 **From: Bokuto**  
[Subject: (No subject)]  
_> > Texted myself when you were in the shower_  
_> > If you don’t leave right now I’m showing up to your apartment and dragging your ass out tonight_

 **To: Bokuto**  
[Subject: (No subject)]  
_> > Fuck you_  
_> > Stop texting me from your car and just go home already_  
_> > And don’t touch my phone!_

 **From: Bokuto**  
[Subject: (No subject)]  
_> > Why? Afraid I’ll see something I’m not supposed to? (*_ﾟﾛﾟ _)_

Iwaizumi groaned and stuffed his phone back into the back pocket of his jeans. He still felt bad for declining his first invitation to hang out with his fellow police officers but he no longer thought that Bokuto was upset with him.

The way his partner was acting, Iwaizumi was hopeful that there would be more chances to go out. If anything, he’d invite Bokuto out the next time—maybe Thursday night when their shift ended at 10 pm.

The drive home was relatively calm. Considering it was only a bit past 2 pm in the afternoon, the streets weren’t too busy yet. The only part of his commute that was a bit slow was when he had to cross through Roppongi, but considering it was only a ten-minute drive from the police station to his apartment building on the regular, Iwaizumi wasn’t bothered by the slowness.

Despite having told Oikawa that he  _would_  Google his name, Iwaizumi hadn’t. It wasn’t about not having the time, but more so the fact that he didn’t want to. He felt like it was impersonal, that he was crossing some sort of boundary even though it was Oikawa who had suggested it in the first place.

Was he famous? Did he have some kind of scandal that followed him around? The questions about Oikawa’s popularity just made him actually want to Google his neighbour but Iwaizumi was going to get whatever information Oikawa wanted to share with him out of the man’s mouth.

Call him old school but he didn’t want to invade Oikawa’s privacy and he didn’t want to know things about him just because the information was available. It felt  _wrong_ , like he was cheating somehow.

Besides, it wasn’t like Iwaizumi wasn’t accustomed to people making decisions about him without even  _knowing_  him just because of his father’s fame and questionable life decisions. Iwaizumi felt that he was being a bit dishonest with Oikawa—that he maybe should have told him to Google him in return, but Iwaizumi wanted them to get to know each other. Properly.

The longer Iwaizumi thought about it, the more confused he made himself so instead of dwelling on whether Oikawa would be home at this time of the afternoon, he headed for the coffee shop that Oikawa had directed him to and bought two cups of coffee anyway.

He had another graveyard shift tomorrow so if Oikawa wasn’t home then Iwaizumi had no problem drinking both by himself.

Iwaizumi tried to will away the disappointment that climbed through him at the thought, as he took the stairs to the second floor. He didn’t have much of a chance to feel bad about any potentially dissatisfactory outcomes; the moment Iwaizumi opened the door to the second floor from the staircase, the elevators on the opposite end of the hall opened too, revealing two people he had never seen before and Oikawa’s dog, Aki.

Unfortunately for him, to get to his own apartment he had to walk in the same direction that the pair walking Aki were moving towards. His apartment was closer to the staircase but Iwaizumi had no doubt that Aki was going to see him and start barking until Iwaizumi disappeared.

He could have just gone back down the stairs, but that would have looked strange. Besides, Iwaizumi didn’t  _have_  anywhere else to go besides home. So he walked down the hall with bated breath.

For a moment, there was a little bit of hope. As they inched closer, the young boy holding Aki’s leash and the woman behind him were unaware of Iwaizumi’s presence. But then, Aki stopped in his tracks, took one good look at Iwaizumi and before he even opened his mouth Iwaizumi had closed his eyes in defeat, aware but unprepared of what was going to happen next.

“Akikun, stop it!” the boy hushed as Aki growled. “Okaasan, what’s wrong with him?” he asked, turning to his mother with a worried expression when Aki didn’t listen to him.

 _Okaasan_? That caught Iwaizumi’s attention, even though he had already registered that the pair looked liked mother and son. Now that they were closer though, Iwaizumi could see the similarities between him and Oikawa. They had the same eyes, bright and brown, and the same face shape. But his hair was different and his nose was tall and straight rather than Oikawa’s slightly upturned one.

For a panicked moment, Iwaizumi thought that the boy’s similarity to Oikawa must have meant that he was Oikawa’s son but the obvious disparity in age as well as the fact that the woman whom the young boy had referred to as his mother looked even more so like Oikawa, Iwaizumi concluded that the two must be Oikawa’s sister and nephew and that they were the ones looking after Aki while Oikawa had been out of town.

“Has Aki found someone other than— _oh_ , hello Iwa-chan,” Oikawa greeted, expression pained as he opened his front door and looked out into the hall to see what was making Aki bark loudly again.

“Hi—”

“Jesus, Tooru, what’s wrong with him?” his sister asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously in Iwaizumi’s direction.

Iwaizumi turned away from Oikawa and his family, cheeks flushed and hands sweaty. He knew it was kind of rude to not return Oikawa’s greeting but it was also rude to just stare and eavesdrop on a conversation he wasn’t sure he was even a part of.

“Nothing, he’s just being a little brat,” Oikawa sighed, bending down to put a hand over Aki’s head, hoping that the affection would calm him down.

Iwaizumi wasn’t sure if it was Oikawa’s touch or if it was the fact that Oikawa had called Aki a  _brat_  that had the dog turn his barks into dejected whines, but Iwaizumi didn’t care. He was just grateful that Aki wasn’t glaring daggers at him anymore.

He watched as Oikawa let the Akita into his apartment but otherwise remained in the doorframe. Iwaizumi quickly looked away, not wanting to look as much like a crazy person as he felt.

“Hey, Iwa-chan, you don’t have to go inside because of Aki. You were going to come over, right?” Oikawa asked, just as Iwaizumi managed to unlock his front door and push it open.

“Oh, it’s fine, you’ve got guests and…” he trailed off, looking down sheepishly at the cause of this fuss in the first place.

He wasn’t sure Oikawa’s dog liked the idea of Iwaizumi being in the apartment. Hell, he didn’t even like the idea of Iwaizumi standing at his own door, five feet away.

Objectively speaking, the Akita was a cute dog. If he weren’t always barking at Iwaizumi, Iwaizumi would have been tempted to pet him. But right now, that was the last thing on Iwaizumi’s mind,  _especially_  if Aki kept up his hostile attitude.

“No, we were leaving,” Oikawa’s sister smiled.

“But  _okaasan_ , you said we could play with Tooru-nii and Aki when we got here,” Oikawa’s nephew complained, tilting his head back to frown at his mother.

“Takeru, don’t be rude. Your uncle has plans and I said we  _might_  be able to hang out with him and Aki. I’m Oikawa Mariko and this is my son Takeru. It’s nice to meet you, please excuse this bratty kid’s behaviour,” she grinned in Iwaizumi’s direction, ruffling Takeru’s hair.

“Iwaizumi Hajime, it’s nice to meet you too,” he greeted politely.

The change in demeanour from a few moments ago took Iwaizumi by surprise, but only until Takeru complained about being called  _bratty_  and a  _kid_.

Iwaizumi held his chuckle in, biting his bottom lip to prevent Takeru from getting angry with him. He already had one member of Oikawa’s family that didn’t like him and he certainly didn’t need  _two_.

“Are you my uncle’s boyfriend?” Takeru asked suddenly, looking away from his mother to Iwaizumi who had promptly gone red in the face.

At least he wasn’t the only one.

Oikawa’s face was flushed, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. He looked like he was struggling to find the right words to say but Mariko jumped in and saved both Iwaizumi and Oikawa the trouble of clearing up the air.

“Takeru I told you that you can’t just say whatever’s on your mind,” Mariko scolded.

“But you’re the one who’s always complaining about how Tooru-nii is lonely and needs a boyfriend,” Takeru insisted.

“What the fuck have you been telling him about me?” Oikawa glared at his sister.

“Tooru,  _language_ ,” Mariko groaned, just as Takeru smiled like he was going to remember this incident the next time he let out a curse.

Iwaizumi was caught between amusement and discomfort. On one hand, watching the three of them bicker with one another was like a show of its own. On the other hand, it was only a matter of time till they noticed that Iwaizumi was still there and he’d be unwillingly pulled into the argument.

“Takeru, apologize. Both to your uncle and his friend,” Mariko sighed. Her tone left no room for argument.

Takeru lowered his head sheepishly. “Sorry, Tooru-nii,” he frowned.

“It’s okay, I’m not mad at  _you_ ,” he insisted.

Something told Iwaizumi that Oikawa’s graciousness didn’t extend to his sister.

“Sorry, ojisan,” Takeru apologized to Iwaizumi.  _Ojisan_? He wasn’t  _that_  old, was he?

“Takeru, we’re the same age,” Oikawa flicked his nephew’s forehead. But he was smiling, lips trying not to curve up into a smirk at Iwaizumi’s own embarrassment.

“Oniichan,” Takeru corrected. “So if you’re not Tooru-nii’s boyfriend, do you want to be? He’s really good at baking and he has a yearlong pass to the planetarium. He always takes me so he’s a good uncle. Plus he’s got Aki and you’d get to play with him  _all_  the time,” he offered.

The fondness with which Takeru spoke about Oikawa was endearing. If it weren’t for the fact that Iwaizumi couldn’t possibly handle his face going any redder, he would have laughed at how uncomfortable Oikawa looked. At that moment in time though, Iwaizumi could only guess he didn’t look much better.

But Takeru’s question had been serious, if the way he was curiously staring up at Iwaizumi was anything to go by. He couldn’t have been more than thirteen, so Iwaizumi couldn’t fault his wonder. Still, as a teenager growing up in Japan he was surprisingly aware of the fact that a man could have a  _boyfriend_.

Oikawa’s family was clearly progressive; Iwaizumi couldn’t hold back his own desire for that to be true because of Oikawa’s own experience. He could only assume that Oikawa’s lack of a denial meant that he  _was_  interested in men but Iwaizumi felt selfish for having that thought so he stored it away and focused on reducing the heat on his face.

“Seriously, what have you been telling him about me?” Oikawa accused his sister, lips pinched into a thin line.

Mariko chuckled nervously. “Well why don’t you look at that, Takeru’s got volleyball practice that I need to take him to,” she beamed, nudging Takeru along towards the elevator.

“It’s a Tuesday. We don’t have volleyball practice on Tuesdays,” Takeru frowned, although he followed his mother dutifully, anyway.

Iwaizumi watched them go, one hand still holding the tray with two cups of coffee and the other his keys and work bag. Only when they disappeared in the elevators did Oikawa speak, letting out a loud groan.

“I am  _so_   _sorry_  for that,” he apologized.

“It’s fine,” Iwaizumi waved off. “What’s the point in having family if they’re not going to embarrass you a little, right?” he joked.

“Seriously though, I feel like I’m always apologizing for my family. First Aki, now Takeru and my sister. I swear it’s like they have a group to plan these things. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kuroo was in on it too,” he muttered.

Iwaizumi had no idea who Kuroo was but he could see that Oikawa was already on edge and he didn’t want to make his mood worse.

“Do you want to come over?” Iwaizumi blurted out.

Oikawa looked up, the crease between his eyebrows relaxing. “Right now?” he asked, eyes flicking to Iwaizumi’s duffel bag then back up to the coffee tray he was holding.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi agreed. “I just need to put my stuff away but I was going to text you to see if you were home right after that and I do have two cups of coffee from the store you said you liked,” he offered a small smile.

“Yes,” Oikawa agreed, face brightening.

The tips of his ears were still pink but Iwaizumi didn’t care about that; in fact, he thought it made Oikawa look cuter but he pushed that thought away for another time.

“Let me just make sure Aki’s comfortable. I take it you don’t want me to bring him…”

“That’s not—you can if you—”

“Relax, Iwa-chan, I’m just teasing,” Oikawa laughed. “I’ll come over in a bit,” he reassured, disappearing into his apartment with a smile.

Iwaizumi was left dumbstruck by the look. He probably would have continued to stand out in the hallway like an idiot, staring at the spot Oikawa had been in for who knows how long if it weren’t for his phone that went off.

He quickly pushed open his front door, dropped his keys and the coffee tray on the kitchen counter before pulling out his phone.

He frowned at the contact name that popped up:  _otousan_.

Iwaizumi sighed, knowing that if he didn’t answer the message right away he was going to get spammed by texts and calls until he did but at the same time, he knew that whatever his dad wanted to say to him was going to piss him off so he turned his phone on silent and placed it on the counter where he wasn’t going to look at it until he absolutely had to. Besides, if it was really important then his father knew to get Iwaizumi’s older brother to call.

In the time that it took Oikawa to come over, Iwaizumi had hastily cleaned up some of the shoes he had lying in the genkan and moved the boxes he had yet to unpack neatly to the side—or as neat as they could be.

He was lucky that the apartment came with a couch and some other furniture because most of his stuff was still back in Miyagi. His friends were  _supposed_  to have shipped it to him by now but they must have gotten busy or they were just trying to piss him off. Honestly, either of the two options were as likely as the other when Hanamaki and Matsukawa were involved.

Maybe he should have just gone over to Oikawa’s instead. While their layouts were identical, that’s where the similarities stopped.

Iwaizumi could tell that Oikawa took good care of his apartment. The paint on the walls was pristine, a large rug covered the living room; the kitchen while it had been cluttered was otherwise full of equipment that Iwaizumi had no doubt that Oikawa used. There were paintings on the walls, pictures of himself and his friends as well as his family, if Iwaizumi’s memory served him right. The furniture wasn’t new but it was  _nice_  and it fit the décor of the apartment.

He hadn’t seen into the bedroom and the bathroom but Iwaizumi could only assume that they were just as clean and well decorated as the rest of Oikawa’s apartment. Considering Oikawa had a pet dog, Iwaizumi was doubly impressed by how tidy the place was. The lack of hair on the couch was remarkable, at least.

He knew that he had moved in recently so he shouldn’t have been so hard on himself but it  _had_  been just over a week and Iwaizumi was starting to feel a little inadequate in comparison to Oikawa.

Now that he knew – assumed, based on what Oikawa’s nephew had said – that Oikawa wasn’t opposed to the idea of a boyfriend, Iwaizumi felt even more self-conscious around the other man.

He tried not to think about it. At least he knew that Oikawa didn’t have a boyfriend at the moment, which made Iwaizumi far more hopeful that he had any right to be.

“Sorry for the intrusion.” Oikawa’s voice snapped Iwaizumi out of his thoughts. “I know I should have probably knocked but the door was open and…” he trailed off, a small blush lighting up his cheeks.

“It’s fine, come in,” Iwaizumi said, coming to the front to beckon Oikawa inside.

Oikawa trailed behind Iwaizumi to the dining room, setting the cake, plates and cutlery he had been carrying on the table before taking a seat. He looked around the room unabashedly, taking in what Iwaizumi could only assume was the lack of décor and furniture.

“Wow, your apartment’s really empty,” Oikawa laughed, not unkindly.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi agreed embarrassedly. “I was supposed to get my stuff on the weekend but it didn’t arrive,” he admitted.

“Oh, what company did you use? Because there’s one that’s  _terrible_  at delivering anything on time.”

Iwaizumi passed Oikawa his coffee, a wry smile on his face. “Actually, I just used my friends. They said they’d handle it but here we are…” he sighed.

Oikawa wrinkled his nose in thought and Iwaizumi had to bury the feelings that came with Oikawa's action. “You should give them a call.” He almost sounded  _worried_  and that thought alone was enough to make Iwaizumi forget about his missing possessions.

“I will,” he agreed.  

He let Oikawa fuss over the cake, watching with mild fascination as his hands moved meticulously. Takeru had said something about Oikawa being good at baking and Iwaizumi had no doubt that it was true. The way he cut the slices and plated the cake was enough to make Iwaizumi wonder whether Oikawa’s job included working in a bakery or a café or somewhere similar.

“Are you a baker?” Iwaizumi blurted out, the filter between his brain and mouth clearly malfunctioning.

Oikawa stalled at the question, confused for a moment before his face relaxed into a small smile. He shook his head, although he looked quite pleased with himself.

“You mean my job? No,” he laughed lightly. “You didn’t look me up?”

Iwaizumi flushed. “No,” he shook his head. “I didn’t know if you were being serious and I thought it was pretty rude to Google someone you had just met, especially if they’re your neighbour,” Iwaizumi explained.

Oikawa’s smile only grew through Iwaizumi’s explanation and that was enough to make Iwaizumi’s words sound less convincing even to himself, nerves making his whole body feel antsy.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he frowned.

“I’m just surprised you don’t recognize me, that’s all,” Oikawa hummed, not at all jilted by the fact that Iwaizumi didn’t know who he was.

Was he  _supposed_ to? From the way Oikawa had made the statement, Iwaizumi could only conclude that Oikawa was somewhat famous. Whether it was for something good or bad was anyone’s guess. Although in Iwaizumi’s biased opinion, he couldn’t imagine Oikawa being famous for some kind of scandal.

“Are you going to tell me what you do or keep me in the dark?” Iwaizumi raised a brow.

“It’s not fun if I tell you,” Oikawa said simply. “Besides, you’re bound to figure it out soon enough, I promise. Just hang out around central Tokyo, I’m sure of it.”

He sounded so confident that Iwaizumi could do nothing but nod, accepting Oikawa’s statement as an undeniable truth.

“Okay,” he agreed, swallowing the lump in his throat.

There was no denying that Oikawa was attractive and that was enough to make Iwaizumi lose some of his confidence, but it wasn’t just the fact that Oikawa was good looking that had Iwaizumi feeling nervous around him. He was easy to talk to, which was a weird concept for Iwaizumi because while he wasn’t lacking in friends it took him a long time to open up to someone.

With Oikawa, the man could ask him to spill his deepest secrets and Iwaizumi would be willing to sing like a bird.

“You know, my sister’s an interior decorator,” Oikawa said, moving the conversation along. “Since she obviously owes me for Takeru’s earlier display, I can get her to help you decorate your place—if you want,” Oikawa offered, looking anywhere but at Iwaizumi.

“You’d do that for me?” he asked, stunned by the offer.

“Yeah?”

“ _Why_?” Iwaizumi blurted out before he could stop himself.

Oikawa blinked at him, surprised by the question for a few seconds before he let out a small laugh that sounded somewhat skeptical.

“Because I like you,” he stated simply.

That statement could have meant many things, but instead of asking Oikawa to clarify what he had said, Iwaizumi took Oikawa’s explanation at face value. Either way, it was a positive outlook and right now, Iwaizumi probably needed friends more than a relationship, anyway.

He was still new to Tokyo, had yet to establish himself with his career and a social life. He needed to take things slow.

With Oikawa’s enthusiasm, it was hard for Iwaizumi to believe that his neighbour was going anywhere and really, just seeing Oikawa was good enough for now. Besides, there was the whole issue with Oikawa’s dog and Iwaizumi wasn’t sure that he could really handle anything more than a friendship with Oikawa as long as Aki was hostile around him.

As if reading his mind, Oikawa hesitantly asked, “What time do you work tomorrow?”

“Afternoon shift: 2 pm to 10 pm.”

“Oh,” Oikawa’s face fell slightly.

“What about the day after that?” he tried again.

“Same time. I’m working a graveyard shift on Thursday though so I should be free Friday. You wanted to do something, right?” he asked, flushing because he had definitely gotten ahead of himself.

“Yeah,” Oikawa agreed, smile pleasant and warm. “Friday works better, anyway. I usually take Aki out to the park in the evenings and I know he’s been stupidly aggressive towards you but I was wondering if you wanted to come with us?” he asked.

“You sure?”

“You’re right. No one wants to hang around a dog that’s unpleasant so it was stupid of me to ask you so forget—”

“Hey, Oikawa,” Iwaizumi cut him off. “I’m the one who clarified when I was free and I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t want to hang around you  _or_  Aki,” he nudged Oikawa’s foot lightly under the table. “Friday’s good for me and I’d love to go to the park with the both of you.”

“Really?” Oikawa asked.

“Yeah, stupid. Just eat your cake and drink your coffee,” Iwaizumi laughed, the sound only growing when Oikawa gawked at Iwaizumi’s abrasiveness.

But he didn’t truly look offended, which was a relief. Iwaizumi wasn’t sure if he should have joked around Oikawa like he did with his friends but it was good to know that Oikawa wasn’t as delicate as he looked.

Somehow, that notion only heightened Oikawa’s attractiveness and Iwaizumi felt himself being pulled into Oikawa’s orbit even more.

He may not have been growing on Aki, but Oikawa's familiarity and teasing was a good enough – great even – start for Iwaizumi. Oikawa's dog would hopefully come around soon enough because if he didn’t, Iwaizumi wasn’t sure he could convince himself to stay away. Aki's belligerence would be worth even a sliver of the sight of Oikawa's smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t you all worry, Iwaizumi will get his “oh shit” moment soon enough where Oikawa’s profession is concerned + a little more reveal on Iwaizumi’s mysterious past soon! 
> 
> Thank you for your support! I hope you can leave me a comment/kudos if you enjoyed c:
> 
> next time:  
> \- Aki's not impressed by the park date (read as: he's jealous and throws a fuss in public lol)  
> \- Impromptu movie nights make any miserable day better 
> 
> Feel free to hit me up on social media:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [Tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today, my mum told me that her co-workers were wondering when I was going to get married... 
> 
> 1) I'm not dating anyone  
> 2) I just graduated from university and I'm in my early 20s so there's rly no rush  
> 3) I'm too busy going to work and writing iwaoi
> 
> Between us, pretty sure #3 is gonna win out always lol

“Hey Akaashi,” Oikawa called out to his friend, stopping him just as he was about to leave the dressing room.

Oikawa had gotten to work early for a photo shoot that morning. It was a new gig and he had been chosen as the face of the clothing brand for the Tokyo branch. Depending on the success of his advertisement, there was the chance to expand his role.

During times like this, the only person Oikawa trusted to not fuck him over in the hair and makeup department was Akaashi.

They hadn’t met until Oikawa started working at the agency. Akaashi was a year younger than he was but having grown up in Tokyo, there were plenty of chances for him to start interning in the place that he wanted to make a career out of. By the time Oikawa joined the group fulltime, Akaashi had already made a name for himself.

It was safe to say that with his impassive demeanour, Akaashi didn’t have the friendliest of vibes. While Oikawa was a talkative person by nature at the time he hadn’t been feeling very social either.

It was strange then that they had come to be friends. Oikawa couldn’t quite remember the specifics of it – it was one of those things that had just  _happened_  – but he was grateful for the friendship all the same.

Sometimes people could be quite cruel in the modelling world; it wasn’t that different from the world of sports if Oikawa was being honest. Everyone wanted to get to the top but there weren’t that many spots available, which made the industry cutthroat. Finding good friends in a place like that was rare but Oikawa had people he was content with.

“It hasn’t even been  _ten seconds_  since you’ve checked your hair and makeup. How can you want to make changes already?” Akaashi sighed, turning around.

He reached for his makeup bag, hand hovering on the comb sticking out of his apron, ready to touch up Oikawa’s looks despite his prickly tone.

Oikawa chuckled, torn between annoyance and amusement. But he  _did_  want something from his friend so he bit back the smart retort that he would have given on any other occasion.

“I’m not calling you back to fix something,” he stated.

Akaashi was quick to notice the lack of sarcasm. “What? You don’t have a suggestion for an adjustment and you’re not pointing out that I called you high maintenance? All right, what do you want?” he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“I thought we were friends. Friends are supposed to be  _kind_ , Akaashi,” he said flippantly. “Are you still doing some freelance painting?” he asked, directing the conversation expertly.

“Depends, are you paying?” Akaashi quipped.

“Jesus, you don’t miss a beat, do you?” Oikawa asked.

Akaashi smiled at that, losing the façade. He walked over to where Oikawa was still sitting in the makeup chair and sat down next to him. He placed his hand under his chin in a fist and said, “I’m listening,” to prompt Oikawa.

“I got my sister to help my new neighbour set up his place but his walls are so  _bare_  and I figured if you could paint something on one of them or maybe even his bedroom ceiling like you did for me, I could call it his housewarming gift,” Oikawa explained, fiddling with his hands to hide his embarrassment.

Akaashi was a good artist. Just last year for his birthday Akaashi had offered to paint some of Oikawa’s favourite constellations across his ceiling. The gradient of navy blues was pretty realistic of the satellite images of a night sky and the gold dotted constellations made his bedroom look better than Oikawa could have ever imagined.

Oikawa knew that when he moved out –  _if_  he moved out – he was going to have to remove the colour and paint it the usual off-white lest his landlord refused to give him back his deposit but he had been living in the apartment long enough to not have any plans of moving out soon.

“Can’t your sister helping him set up the place be his housewarming gift?” Akaashi asked skeptically.

“No, that’s her making it up to Iwa-chan for how rude Takeru was to him.”

Oikawa wrinkled his nose in displeasure, holding himself off from visibly cringing at the memory. He had been lucky that Iwaizumi was so easygoing about that kind of stuff; it made him wonder whether the man had any siblings but that hadn’t come up in conversation yet and Oikawa hadn’t quite wanted the topic to fall back to his own family because the embarrassment was fresh in their minds.

“Oh, I see what the problem is,” Akaashi hummed. He’s hot, isn’t he?” he asked.

Despite Akaashi’s stoic expression Oikawa could see the smile that was threatening to break through. At Oikawa’s deadpan response to Akaashi’s statement phrased like a question, his friend laughed loudly.

“You’re a terrible person. A terrible  _friend_ ,” Oikawa corrected, face heating up.

He didn’t bother to deny that Iwaizumi was very good-looking and his insulting comment did nothing to deter Akaashi’s amusement.

“Okay, tell you what,” Akaashi said eventually. “Ask him what he wants and I’ll do it for you free of charge, as long as he has some hot friends that you’re willing to set me up with,” Akaashi offered.

“I haven’t even met his friends!” Oikawa insisted. “And besides, I don’t think being gay is that common in the police force. Most of the guys who are tend to be closeted. At least, that’s what Iwa-chan told me.”

“Iwa-chan  _this_ , Iwa-chan  _that_. Do you want to impress him or not?” Akaashi rolled his eyes.

“I thought you weren’t into commitment these days.” Oikawa narrowed his eyes.

“I’m allowed to change my mind,” Akaashi scoffed. “And seriously, do you want my help or not?” he asked, a little tetchily.

“Fine, I’ll ask him but  _after_  the gift is complete,” Oikawa bargained.

Akaashi pursed his lips but didn’t argue. “Deal,” he confirmed. “Let me know when you’ve spoken to him about it and good luck with the photo shoot,” he waved, bidding Oikawa goodbye.

He hoped that Iwaizumi agreed to this otherwise Oikawa would look far too eager and a little stupid. He made a mental note to ask Iwaizumi about it that evening when they took Aki for a walk,  _if_  Aki was quiet long enough for them to have a proper conversation.

Oikawa had taken the dog out on his favourite route this morning past all the street vendors that loved playing with him and offering him treats as they were setting up for the day’s crowds. Usually, Oikawa avoided that street not because the people weren’t friendly but because he didn’t want Aki to get used to all the attention.

Today though, he needed to bribe his dog a little bit and he hoped that the good morning would extend his tranquility into the afternoon.

If Oikawa had his way, he would have stayed home all day with Aki and kept him company so that he wasn’t agitated and looking for Oikawa’s attention when Oikawa got back from work. But this gig was important and he didn’t want to give up a good opportunity just so Aki wouldn’t be a menace towards Iwaizumi. In fact, Oikawa had no guarantee that his idea would have worked in the first place. Spoiling Aki too much just could have had the opposite effect.

His thoughts on how to change his dog’s behaviour were cut short by a knock at the door.

“They’re looking for you in studio one,” Tsukishima said, leaning his head through a small opening in the door.

“I’m surprised you went out of your way to come get me. Aren’t you supposed to be my backup for if I didn’t show?” Oikawa teased.

“Kuroo made me,” Tsukishima said flatly.

Oikawa chuckled, slapping Tsukishima on the back affectionately. “Sure, keep denying how much you love me,” he smiled, ignoring Tsukishima’s mumbling about Oikawa being delusional.

He knew that Tsukishima, while prickly on the outside, was not the kind of person to fuck over his friends. They may have been competing for the same spot but that didn’t mean that they were going to be cruel to one another to get it.

He followed Tsukishima out of the dressing room, parting ways when it was time to head to different studios.

The morning was going to be long but Oikawa had something to look forward to, so he put his most professional smile on and greeted the new company he would hopefully be working with for the next while.

* * *

There were always pros and cons to starting a new advertising job. On one hand, it meant more promotions, which meant more fame. Oikawa wasn’t so hung up on the  _fame_  aspect as much as the benefits that came with it: a more stable income and better job security.

Not having a salary to work with was sometimes difficult but Oikawa had been lucky enough to make what he needed with the work that he got. Still, he would only be young for so long and he needed to save up what he could in the meantime. Plus, the older Aki got, the more money Oikawa had to spend on check-ups, not because he was getting sick but because there were always issues predominant in purebreds and Oikawa wanted to avoid that for as long as possible.

Aki was only three years old so it wasn’t something he had to worry about now but he was paranoid and the loss of someone close to him wasn’t something Oikawa could deal with again so soon.

But the downside to a new advertising contract also came with having to prove one’s self again. Oikawa was good at his job; he had worked with some very important designers, had walked in a lot of runways but that didn’t mean that he could use his past successes to guarantee his future ones.

So while he had prepared himself and read over the notes that the brand’s marketing department had given him to look over before today’s session, the day was still long and tiring. They had taken a lot of photos, changed his outfit and hair and makeup more times than Oikawa could count.

By the time the company was satisfied, Oikawa was tired from having been on his feet for so many hours.

He knew that the number of photo was just for show. The people here today weren’t the ones who would make the final decision. To save their asses and to make sure Oikawa’s role was secure, the number of different poses was necessary. If this was his first time, Oikawa would have been feeling bad about how the day had passed.

Right now though, he was just tired, both mentally and physically.

The prospect of taking Aki for a walk just made Oikawa feel even more exhausted but he had worked longer days before and he wasn’t about to change his plans.

He had hung out with Iwaizumi on Tuesday but Oikawa had felt bad about leaving Aki home alone after not having seen him for almost four days so he had left after an hour, giving Iwaizumi the time to relax and wind down after his shift as well.

They had texted briefly between then and today but Oikawa was far more occupied with giving Aki the attention he deserved paired with a lecture on how he  _wasn’t_  supposed to keep barking at their neighbour.

It had been just shy of two weeks since he first ran into Iwaizumi and five days since they had started speaking regularly so Oikawa figured they were more than just acquaintances now. If the fact that they were planning to go to the park with Aki together was any indication, they were closer to being friends.

He wouldn’t bail on any other friend even if he was tired, but especially not Iwaizumi. And since Oikawa had been the one to suggest they take Aki to the park together in the first place, he didn’t think he could change his mind a few hours before their plan.

From the few times that he had spoken to Iwaizumi in person and the times in between when they had texted, Oikawa could conclude that Iwaizumi was a nice guy. He didn’t seem like the type to be annoyed because Oikawa was tired from work but it boiled down to the fact that Oikawa  _wanted_  to hang out with his neighbour.

“You taking Aki to the park tonight?” Kuroo asked, just as Oikawa had finished changing back into the clothes he had arrived to work in.

He still had to remove the makeup and the hair gel but he figure he could do that when he got home and showered.

“It’s Friday. You know we always go to Yoyogi Park on Fridays,” Oikawa reminded.

“I do, which is why I’m surprised I didn’t get an invite,” Kuroo retorted.

Oikawa stiffened in the middle of checking that all his belonging were in his bag. He slowly stood up straight and turned to face Kuroo who was standing by the door, arms crossed and an expectant look on his face.

“Don’t give me that look,” Oikawa frowned.

“Don’t give me that bullshit,” Kuroo retorted. “You got a date or something that I don’t know about?” he asked unsubtly.

While it was true that Fridays were Oikawa’s days to take Aki to the park near his apartment building, it was also true that Kuroo joined them on those days. Sometimes they’d go on Thursdays if there was enough time or if Oikawa didn’t have to go to work the next day. At this point, inviting Kuroo was a formality because his friend usually joined anyway.

“Not exactly,” Oikawa bristled. Kuroo raised an eyebrow, waiting for a better explanation. “Iwa-chan’s coming with me,” he admitted, eyes shifting to the side.

“Oh,” Kuroo said, not sounding very enthusiastic at all. “You sure that’s a good idea? I saw the way Aki acted around him the last time,” he said, concerned.

“Of course it’s a good idea. Have some faith in me,” Oikawa glared, slightly miffed that his best friend was doubting him before the night had even begun.

“Okay yeah I’m sorry,” Kuroo apologized. “Yahaba and Tsukki are coming over with wine. They want to do drunk karaoke so feel free to drop by if you’re free. Bring Aki too,” Kuroo offered.

“ _Tsukki_  wants to do drunk karaoke?” Oikawa laughed.

“No, you’re right. Yahaba wants to and Tsukki just got dragged in the middle of it,” Kuroo chuckled.

“Sounds fun, send pictures. I’m sure Aki will wear me out before the night’s over but thanks for the invite,” Oikawa admitted.

“No problem. Have fun on your not-date-date,” Kuroo grinned, throwing up a peace sign as Oikawa visibly flushed.

“I will!” Oikawa shouted back stubbornly as Kuroo left.

* * *

Having fun was far easier said than done, however.

To Iwaizumi’s credit, he was doing his best to not look frustrated but Oikawa could tell that he was losing his patience with the way the vein on the side of his neck kept pulsing every time Aki tried to break into a run.

Initially, Oikawa had been the one holding the leash but he hadn’t realize how tired he was from work until Aki started misbehaving.

Taking care of a big dog was never something Oikawa found difficult to deal with before. Today, Oikawa realized just how much strength Aki really had. He refused to walk at a normal pace, wanting to run at full speed more often than not. And if he wasn’t running like he was on a chase, he parked his bum on the sidewalk and wouldn’t budge.

After the first thirty minutes of struggling, Iwaizumi had offered to take the leash from Oikawa.

It was embarrassing because Oikawa was proud of the fact that he kept his body in shape but he knew that Iwaizumi hadn’t offered because he wanted to embarrass him so he let the other man take Aki’s leash with the necessary amount of hesitance.

Yoyogi Park was a twenty-minute walk from Oikawa’s apartment at a normal pace. After forty minutes, they had only made it three quarters of the way.

The number of times Oikawa had apologized to Iwaizumi was too many to keep track of. Oikawa half expected his neighbour to leave every time Aki acted up or maybe even snap at the dog. But he was patient with Aki and he was kind to Oikawa, which made Oikawa’s own frustration grow.

He  _wasn’t_  going to cry even though his face felt hot and his eyes prickled. This was stupid; how could he cry over something so  _small_  and when Iwaizumi was being nothing but patient and kind with Aki?

“Hey,” Iwaizumi said suddenly, tearing his attention away from Aki who had decided to park himself under a tree on the sidewalk once again. “Oikawa, what’s wrong?” he asked, noticing the shift in demeanour.

“Nothing,” Oikawa shook his head, doing his best to hide his face and avert his eyes.

This was supposed to be  _fun_  but that was the last thing it felt like to Oikawa. And if he wasn’t enjoying himself he could hardly believe that Iwaizumi was.

“I’m sorry for asking if you wanted to come to the park with Aki and me. He clearly hasn’t warmed up to you yet and I should have seen that,” Oikawa apologized.

Iwaizumi wrapped the leash he was holding in his hand tightly around his palm a few times so as to not lose track of the Akita before he stepped forward and put his free hand on Oikawa’s shoulder, moving him to the edge of the sidewalk to let anyone passing by walk without interference.

“I told you to quit apologizing. I know how much your dog hates me just as much as you do yet I agreed to today because I _wanted_  to. We’re friends, right? And I like hanging out with you, which means if I want to continue I know Aki’s going to have to like me or tolerate me to some degree as well,” Iwaizumi explained.

Iwaizumi’s sincerity only made Oikawa feel worse. The tears that had been building up threatened to spill onto his cheeks. Oikawa blinked his eyes a few times – too many times – to try and stop them in their tracks.

“You’re upset,” Iwaizumi stated. He didn’t sound angry, just resigned. “Let’s go back. I think he’s gotten enough exercise for the day and you said you took him on a run this morning. Or if you think it’s better that I leave and let you bring Aki back on your own we can do that too.”

“No,” Oikawa shook his head. “He’ll get the idea that he can get what he wants if he’s stubborn enough and I don’t want to set that precedence.”

Although, it would have been easier just to take Aki home at this point. He looked over to the dog who didn’t look as stubborn as earlier. In fact, he must have sensed that Oikawa was reaching his limit. He was sitting stall with his ears perked up, a large pout that he knew Oikawa always fell for worn proudly on his face.

Oikawa tore his eyes away from Aki. As far as he could see, Iwaizumi was a good guy and Aki was just being stubborn. Maybe Kuroo was right. Maybe Aki could sense that Oikawa liked Iwaizumi and he was jealous.

“And besides, then I’d have to go to Kuroo’s and I don’t feel like drunk karaoke with all my co-workers right now,” he added miserably.

If he went home upset, he knew he was going to mope and complain to Kuroo, which would mean having to go to his apartment and telling everybody his business considering Yahaba and Tsukishima were guaranteed to be there.

“Did something bad happen at work?” Iwaizumi asked, the concern obvious in his tone.

“No it was just a long day because—hang on, that’s not your way of trying to get me to tell you where I work, is it? Because that’s cheating,” Oikawa said, face breaking into a small smile at Iwaizumi’s laugh.

“It was a good try,” Iwaizumi continued the joke. “But seriously, if you’re not feeling good, let’s go back. You shouldn’t have to be social if you don’t want to be.”

Oikawa chewed his bottom lip. They were so close to the park but at the same time, Oikawa knew the journey back would be more tiresome if they made it all the way to Yoyogi.

“And if you want to hang out, I’ve got the night off. We can watch a movie or something,” Iwaizumi offered. “That is, if you still want to be around me,” he added.

“I’d like that,” Oikawa agreed quietly.

He  _didn’t_  want to be alone, but he also didn’t want to be with his friends right now. He knew they meant well and they were just trying to look out for him but they wouldn’t understand why Oikawa was so hung up on Iwaizumi since they didn’t know him.

“What do you want to watch?” Iwaizumi asked, pleased by Oikawa’s answer.

“How about we decide on that once we get back. Who knows, by the time we make it home you just might want to go to bed instead,” Oikawa joked.

“It’s only 6 pm,” Iwaizumi laughed. Oikawa looked pointedly at Aki who was listening to their conversation attentively. “Okay, you make a good point,” he conceded.

Iwaizumi’s attitude was admirable and it only made Oikawa realize just  _how much_  he liked his neighbour.

The walk back to their apartment building felt a lot shorter than the walk towards the park. Part of it had to do with Aki’s change in behaviour. He still tried to pull away from his leash but not as often as he had before and he had stopped sitting down at random spots every few minutes.

But another part of it had to do with Iwaizumi who kept up conversation smoothly. He joked that this was his workout for the day so he couldn’t complain, which made Oikawa feel a bit better about Aki being so mean to Iwaizumi even if Iwaizumi was only saying that to be nice.

At any rate, it did give Oikawa a reason to stare down at Iwaizumi’s flexed arms for just a little bit as he teasingly mulled over whether to agree or not.

Oikawa had to hand it to his dog for not barking away while they were in public. He must have thought that changing his tactics was a good idea and honestly, it was a lot more effective than just being loud. Still, Oikawa was grateful that at least  _something_  had changed since the last time.

When they stopped in front of Oikawa’s apartment and Aki noticed that Iwaizumi didn’t make a move to walk away, he growled at the man, nudging his face affectionately against Oikawa’s thigh at the same time to stake his claim.

The contradictory actions were enough to make Oikawa want to laugh but he consented with biting his lip to keep his amusement at bay.

The moment Oikawa opened the apartment door, Iwaizumi let go of Aki’s leash and the dog pranced forward and took up his spot on the couch.

“Seems like he sensed that you were upset and decided to cut you some slack. Dogs are pretty smart like that,” Iwaizumi mused, eyes following Aki’s figure to the couch.

“It’s like dealing with a teenager going through puberty,” Oikawa sighed as he slipped off his shoes. He pulled forward the guest slippers, sliding them towards Iwaizumi as he put on his own pair.

“At least you’ll be prepared for when you have kids. If you want them,” Iwaizumi chuckled.

“Yeah, I guess,” Oikawa shrugged. “Though it’s going to be hard to have kids of my own. Being gay doesn’t give you many options for having kids. Maybe I’ll adopt but not any time soon with the rules in place,” Oikawa sighed.

After his sister and Takeru had pretty much exposed his sexuality to Iwaizumi without Oikawa’s consent, Oikawa had been a little worried that his neighbour wouldn’t want to talk to him anymore. He had hesitantly hinted at that in conversation until Iwaizumi bluntly told him that he was gay too and that he wouldn’t have cared either way.

It had made Oikawa feel loads better, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t think about his own future and how other people viewed him sometimes.

“Sorry, that was an unexpected tangent. Make yourself comfortable wherever Aki lets you,” Oikawa changed the subject, heading for the kitchen to make dinner and hopefully hide some of the heat on his face.

“I don’t think he’s going to let me anywhere near the couch. Not while you’re not there at any rate,” Iwaizumi let out an awkward laugh. “You making dinner?” he asked.

“Hmm,” Oikawa agreed. “Nothing fancy, just some noodles in a simple broth. I hope you’re okay with that.”

“I’ve been eating takeout or instant meals for almost two weeks now. Anything else sounds like heaven,” he chuckled. “Let me help. It’s the least I can do for you feeding me,” he insisted.

“You really need to get your apartment set up. Speaking of, I gave my sister your phone number after we spoke yesterday. She says she’s happy to help you decorate and put things where they belong. Just let her know when your stuff arrives,” Oikawa reminded.

His sister had teased him about how he was putting a lot of effort into someone he barely knew but Oikawa was used to Mariko’s jibes. He ignored them expertly knowing that she had good intentions at heart. It was strange to think about a time when they didn’t get along now that they were so close but Oikawa supposed that growing up brought on those kinds of relationships.

“Thanks, Oikawa. You’re sure she’s okay with that, right? I feel like I’m making a lot of trouble for you,” Iwaizumi admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Oikawa decided to bring the topic of Akaashi’s help some other time given how embarrassed Mariko helping Iwaizumi was making him feel. Oikawa didn’t want to overload the man with all these new people doing things for him.

“It’s fine, Iwa-chan. You’re the one who said that we were friends, remember?” Oikawa grinned, nudging Iwaizumi’s in the side with his elbow lightly.

He laughed when Iwaizumi glared at him, but the irritated look was half-hearted.

“But don’t worry, I’ll put you to good use in the kitchen. I may be good at baking but cooking is a nightmare,  _especially_  cutting vegetables. That can be your job,” Oikawa said, rifling through the fridge for the appropriate food.

“I take back what I said earlier. I guess you’re not helping me but secretly trying to kill me instead. I was lured by your baking,” Iwaizumi teased, laughter only growing as Oikawa’s jaw dropped in surprise.  

Oikawa wasn’t sure that Iwaizumi owed him anything or needed to pay Oikawa back in any way. But he was happy to share the kitchen and have some company while he cooked. It was true that baking was his forte and cooking wasn’t his favourite thing to do but he was passable at it so he was happy to know that Iwaizumi enjoyed cooking very much.

At one point Iwaizumi offered to fill Aki’s bowl with food without Oikawa’s prompting. It was obvious that although he had a dog growing up, Iwaizumi hadn’t forgotten how to care for one. It sucked that Aki was being so stubborn but Oikawa had hope that Iwaizumi could win him over. He was trying to at least, and that was promising.

With the music playing and conversation to keep them busy, dinner was prepared a lot quicker, something Oikawa couldn’t say was a good thing when he was enjoying himself.

His evening may have gotten off to a rough start but it was certainly turning around. Aki still glared at Iwaizumi as they sat down to eat, giving a few barks for show before he returned to his own food.

“You really love him, huh?” Iwaizumi asked, watching as Oikawa’s eyes trailed to Aki's relaxed figure fondly.

Aki had finished eating his dinner before Oikawa and Iwaizumi were done and had returned to his spot on the couch. He had a perfectly good dog bed right next to him, which was currently going ignored.

“Huh?” Oikawa asked, tearing his eyes away from the Akita. “Oh, yeah,” he smiled, flushing slightly. “I got him after I moved to Tokyo when he was just a puppy,” he added.

That was as far as he was willing to go with that conversation for the time being. Iwaizumi already knew that Oikawa’s mother had died a few years ago but Oikawa didn’t want to explain what a toll that had taken on him. Aki was the only good thing to come out of it so of course his dog meant a lot.

Sensing Oikawa's discomfort, Iwaizumi stiffened in his seat, eyes downcast at the bowl of noodles in front of him. Iwaizumi didn’t push the topic but instead diverted it to a work story.

Unfortunately, Iwaizumi was still on desk duty, which Oikawa knew wasn’t where any cop wanted to be but he was taking it all in stride and the stories of the people who came in to report crimes – most of which weren’t true at all – were sort of funny, even if Oikawa felt bad about laughing at other people’s expense.

By the time the dishes had been washed, Aki was calmer than Oikawa had ever seen him around Iwaizumi. He even scooted over on the couch to make room for Oikawa and Iwaizumi to sit down. With the way he immediately put his head in Oikawa’s lap it was clear that he had been waiting for Oikawa this entire time. 

Oikawa brought out a bowl of popcorn and a few beers, which he shared with Iwaizumi, one hand petting Aki’s head lazily and his eyes trained on  _Jurassic Park_  playing on the TV screen connected to his laptop.

He had watched this movie many times before but with the second installation of the reboot having been released recently, Oikawa was feeling nostalgic. He was glad that Iwaizumi seemed to be as invested in the movie as he was, looking quite immersed as he mumbled both encouragements and his disappointment under his breath.

It was cute that he talked out loud when he thought Oikawa wasn’t paying attention. Or maybe he just didn’t realize that he was talking. Either way, it made Oikawa’s heart squeeze in fondness. Physically, on one side Oikawa had the most important thing to him in this world and on the other side Oikawa had one of the kindest people he had ever met.

He could have been caught in a hailstorm, he could have stepped in mud and ruined his nice shoes, perhaps he could have even lost his phone; and  _still_ , this moment would have been enough to rule his day a good one.

“You like this movie, right?” Iwaizumi asked, noticing the goofy smile on Oikawa’s face that didn’t match the scene that was currently playing.

“Love it,” Oikawa confirmed.

“That’s good,” he said sincerely, shooting Oikawa a quick smile.

His Friday night may not have gone as planned, but maybe this was better. He still got to spend time with Iwaizumi and Aki may not have been warming up to Iwaizumi but at least he was more creative with his contempt than barking all the time.

By the time Iwaizumi reminded Oikawa that he should probably go it was past midnight and Oikawa had half a mind to tell him he could stay. But Iwaizumi lived  _next door_  and it would have been awkward to tell him not to go when that didn’t make any logical sense. So Oikawa lifted Aki’s head off his lap carefully and walked Iwaizumi to the door, waving a sleep goodbye that was returned wholeheartedly.

Oikawa had promised himself he’d find happiness in the small victories and this counted as something more than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next time:  
> \- Iwaizumi's co-workers find out about his family  
> \- Drunk twister, snarky friends and a getting a drunk Oikawa home
> 
> Thanks for reading! Comments/kudos are always appreciated ♡
> 
> I'm active on social media if you wanna talk to me about my fics or just iwaoi in general:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [Tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to upload this chapter on Friday but I got home from work and was dealing with technical issues concerning the new TV and cable box >.< I'm the resident tech expert (apparently) and it took far too many calls to tech support, switching HDMI cables and language barriers to finally get it fixed but woohoo, the new TV is so HD I cannot find myself wanting to watch anything in a lesser quality lol I feel spoiled
> 
> anyway! I hope y'all enjoy this chapter c: there's a lot more coming to terms with feelings and iwaoi progression here!

A friendship with Oikawa wasn’t what Iwaizumi had expected and that wasn’t a bad thing at all. It did come with a catch however in the form of one fluffy Akita.

Aki wasn’t a  _bad_  dog per se, just a little protective. It was obvious that Oikawa cared for his pet but the same could be said for Aki’s feelings towards Oikawa. Whenever Oikawa paid more attention to Iwaizumi than his dog, Aki would make his presence known, whether it was with loud barks or headbutts.  

It was cute, in an entirely strange way. Iwaizumi had always thought himself a patient man but sometimes Aki got a little too much even for him. The thought made him feel bad though because there was no way he could bring himself to ask Oikawa out when he couldn’t even handle his  _dog_.

They were a package deal and Iwaizumi wouldn’t expect it to be any other way. Besides, there was no indication that Oikawa felt the same way about him as Iwaizumi did his neighbour, so he shut down that train of thought whenever it arose.

Unfortunately, it was quite difficult to not think about Oikawa and his nice smile and his long legs, which were too fucking distracting in those running shorts he wore on his runs with Aki.

Just yesterday Iwaizumi had been on his way to work in the morning and he bumped into Oikawa with Aki going for their usual morning run. Iwaizumi had definitely had to stop himself from looking down at Oikawa’s legs more than once, but the skin peaking out from under those black shorts was torturing him.

Iwaizumi hadn’t thought it was possible for Oikawa to be any more appealing, physically speaking, but there he was in those stupid shorts that were going to be at the centre of Iwaizumi's dreams for the next while. It had taken Oikawa waving in his face and a not so gentle nudge from Aki for Iwaizumi to realize that he had zoned out.

 _“You got a big case or something?”_  Oikawa had asked.

Iwaizumi had been so embarrassed that he hadn’t even responded, mumbling something about needing coffee before he had walked off.

When he had gotten to the station he noticed a text from Oikawa asking if Iwaizumi was mad at him or if he had done something wrong. He had felt so guilty about acting dismissive only because he was afraid of embarrassing himself around his new friend and couldn’t handle himself at how attractive Oikawa was that Iwaizumi ended up buying Oikawa another coffee from his favourite coffee shop on the way home.

He still didn’t know what Oikawa did – whether he even had a job – but Iwaizumi had managed to catch his neighbour at home then too.

It felt rude to ask if someone was employed so Iwaizumi kept that question to himself, knowing that Oikawa probably had to be to live a modest lifestyle. Tokyo wasn’t like Miyagi. It was an urban centre where prices were higher and the products were smaller. The fact that Oikawa could afford to rent a nice apartment and take care of himself  _and_  his dog meant he had to be making money somehow.

A part of Iwaizumi’s mind wandered in directions he felt embarrassed for thinking about. But he couldn’t help it; Oikawa  _had_  mentioned that he was surprised Iwaizumi didn’t recognize him.

His fame wasn’t something Iwaizumi was interested in, so he promptly shoved that thought aside. Whenever Oikawa wanted to tell him just why Iwaizumi should have recognized him, he would, and when that time came Iwaizumi would hear it with an open mind.

Until then, he was happy to indulge in Oikawa's company whether it was in person or through text.

 **From: Oikawa  
** [Subject: tonight]  
_> > What are you doing tonight?_

Iwaizumi smiled, picking up his phone the moment he threw open his locker. It was starting to become a habit that he checked his messages as soon as he had finished showering after a shift. Iwaizumi had never been hung up on his phone before, choosing to live by the policy that he’d get to his messaged when he could.

It usually drove his friends insane but they had come to accept that Iwaizumi was a little old school in his ways.

With Oikawa however, he didn’t want to waste any time. Whether his shift was in the morning, afternoon or at night, Iwaizumi would have some kind of a message from Oikawa to come back to. Sometimes it was just another text asking if Iwaizumi had gotten his furniture and appliances yet and other times it was just pictures of Aki with a caption somewhere along the lines of  _“I wish he acted this cute around you.”_

Whatever the message said or contained, it never failed to make Iwaizumi smile, something that Bokuto pointed out without fail whenever he witnessed it. 

 **To: Oikawa  
** [Subject: tonight]  
_> > My co-worker’s birthday was on Wednesday so we’re going out to celebrate tonight_

 **From: Oikawa  
** [Subject: tonight]  
_> > Oh me too!!  
__> > The drinking part anyway, not the birthday celebrations_

 **To: Oikawa  
** [Subject: tonight]  
_> > Why’d you ask me what I was doing tonight if you already had plans?  
__> > And who said I was drinking?_

 **From: Oikawa  
** [Subject: tonight]  
_> > So you could hang out with my friends and me, duh! o(^_▽ _^)o  
__> > Whaaat? I thought you were ~p a r t y i n g~_

Oikawa’s enthusiasm never failed to shine even through texts. Iwaizumi looked up as he caught himself smiling stupidly at the screen. He was grateful that Bokuto wasn’t around to see that for once.

 **To: Oikawa  
** [Subject: tonight]  
_> > Thanks, that’s pretty nice of you  
__> > And I got voted the DD. New guy and all_

 **From: Oikawa  
** [Subject: tonight]  
_> > They need to quit the hazing and the initiation tasks (; _･ _`д_ ･´ _)  
__> > Should I come down and beat them up?_

Iwaizumi couldn’t help but laugh loudly at that. This time, he wasn’t so lucky when he looked up and saw Bokuto’s wide grin, crossed arms and raised eyebrows gracing him.

“Not your boyfriend, huh?” he asked smugly.

“He’s not,” Iwaizumi insisted. ‘ _Unfortunately_ ’ was the word he kept to himself.

“The way you obsessively check your phone after every shift says otherwise but all right, it’s your life,” Bokuto shrugged. “Hurry up though. Terushima’s already been drinking and Kyoutani just texted me that he needs backup before the owners kick them out,” Bokuto gave him a hearty clap on the back.

“Give me two minutes, I’ll be right out,” Iwaizumi promised, feeling slightly guilty for neglecting his co-workers.

He could see Oikawa all the time now; maybe not as often as he’d have liked with his unexpected schedule but still, Oikawa was his neighbour and it was easy to get in touch with him. Hanging out with his co-workers wasn’t as simple although Iwaizumi knew he had to put that effort in.

They weren’t bad people and he certainly liked their company. Bokuto was a good guy—quite friendly for someone who was still stuck on desk duty because Iwaizumi was unfortunately chosen as his new partner.

But Kyoutani and Terushima were pretty decent too. After the first time Iwaizumi had met Kyoutani, the younger man had warmed up to him. Iwaizumi had even sparred with him a few times at the gym when Bokuto was busy.

 **To: Oikawa  
** [Subject: tonight]  
_> > They mean well. It’s just office dynamics, I suppose. Don’t worry about me  
__> > Anyway, I have to go. Enjoy your night. Drink responsibly_

 **From: Oikawa  
** [Subject: tonight]  
_> > Ok, have fun too!_  
_> > If you need backup I’ll send Tsukki  
__> > He’ll insult your co-workers to the brink of tears (´_꒳ _`_ ∗ _)_

Iwaizumi chuckled quietly, slipping his phone back into his locker as he changed quickly into a pair of black jeans and a maroon shirt.

Oikawa had told him all about his friends, including Tsukishima, who Iwaizumi learned had a mean mouth. Iwaizumi was somewhat touched that Oikawa was looking out for him, even if he had nothing to worry about.

Being voted to do the tasks no one wanted was part of being new to the team. He had no doubt that when the new recruits came in that he’d be off the hook but until then, he had no problem taking the trash out or cleaning out the toaster oven from the kitchenette or even being put on bathroom duty. He had been on the other end of things back at his old station and he knew when it was going too far.

Iwaizumi towelled off his hair one last time, running a hand through it to make sure it dried properly before he grabbed his keys, phone, wallet and bag.

By the time he walked out to the parking lot Bokuto was already waiting for him by his car.

The bar that Terushima had chosen for his birthday celebrations wasn’t too far but it did take longer to drive there than it would have to walk across the street to their usual hangout place. Each station had a bar that they took pride in calling their go-to but for a night like tonight, Iwaizumi was grateful they were going somewhere where no one knew their profession.

His gratitude for that fact was only heightened when Bokuto threw open the door of the bar and they were greeted with the sight of Terushima singing karaoke loudly by the jukebox.

“Took you long enough! The waitress has been egging him on and his song choices are getting progressively filthier,” Kyoutani growled, throwing a dirty look at Terushima as Bokuto and Iwaizumi reached their table.

Iwaizumi didn’t need to pay attention to the words to know that they weren’t very appropriate. The way Terushima was dancing was proof enough. Although, he supposed the song wasn’t exactly unfitting for the location.

He had noticed the narrow alley on their way inside. Paired with the dingy features and what looked like cheap alcohol made to give you a bad hangover the next day, Iwaizumi couldn’t say that Terushima looked or sounded out of place at all.

“It’s his birthday party, cut him some slack,” Bokuto grinned good-naturedly. At Kyoutani’s sardonic look he added, “Fine, I’ll get him to slow down.”

“How long have you guys been here?” Iwaizumi asked as he watched Bokuto move towards the stage and pull Terushima into an enthusiastic hug.

“About an hour but this place isn’t exactly the liveliest out there so Terushima thought he needed to do something about it,” Kyoutani rolled his eyes.

Iwaizumi shook his head in amusement, pulling up an empty seat. He ordered a beer when the waitress arrived knowing that one wasn’t going to impair his ability to drive, especially if he nursed it over the span of the night.

Somehow, Bokuto managed to lead Terushima back to their table. Kyoutani snorted loudly when Terushima blew the waitress a kiss.

“You know she just wants your tips, right?” Kyoutani asked.

“She can have all of them, if you know what I’m saying,” Terushima grinned.

“Gross,” Kyoutani mumbled.

It was easy enough to distracted Terushima with food and the promise to buy him drinks when he had finished all his nachos. A few other police officers from the station were also present and more arrived throughout the night. It was obvious that Terushima was popular despite his canny ability to piss off the boss.

An hour later Terushima had some of his with about him and Iwaizumi was feeling comfortable and relaxed. With everyone else drinking around him it was easy to lose himself in the warmth and mellow atmosphere. Bokuto introduced him to some of the other guys at the station that Iwaizumi had never seen till then just because their shifts hadn’t lined up.

As the night progressed, Iwaizumi was starting to feel at home with himself.

Tokyo was different from Miyagi but it was nice. People were a lot less prejudiced around here—at least, the people that he had gotten to know and Iwaizumi was grateful for that fact.

Unfortunately, living in Tokyo didn’t exclude him from the public’s eye in other ways.

“You wanna know something funny?” Terushima asked, leaning across the table to stare at Iwaizumi.

“What?” Iwaizumi asked, playing along.

“My sister took me out on Wednesday for my birthday to this fancy restaurant in Ginza because she’s a lawyer and can afford that shit,” he explained, waiting for a reaction.

“Yeah?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Yeah, it was fucking awesome. On our way home she said she had to grab a few files from her office building so I went with her and you’ll never guess what I saw. A few of the floors in her building were being rented out to some company named ‘ _Iwaizumi Intelligence_ ,’” he laughed. “Funny coincidence, right?”

Iwaizumi stiffened at the mention of that name.

“You know who they are?” Kyoutani asked, catching on to Iwaizumi’s sudden shift in demeanour.

There was no point in lying to his co-workers—his  _friends_. Iwaizumi wasn’t exactly a common last name and it was easy enough to find out that he was related to the man who owned  _Iwaizumi Intelligence_ , a private security firm that provided both armed and unarmed security services to some high-end clients.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi let out a muffled chuckle. “That’s my dad’s company. He’s based out of Miyagi but he just opened a second branch in Tokyo. My older brother’s going to be the head of the Tokyo location,” he admitted.

While it wasn’t inconvenient to fly out from Miyagi to Tokyo, especially with the kind of money his father charged his clients, it was starting to become less efficient.

Iwaizumi knew that his brother wanted the main branch to eventually be in Tokyo – he had discussed it whenever their father brought up talks about expanding the business – and with him destined as the head of the company one day, he had a lot of say in the matter. It didn’t make the fact that it was all coming together around the time Iwaizumi had finally gotten his transfer to Tokyo any easier.

He loved his family but for once he wanted to be able to go somewhere where people didn’t associate his name to his father’s business.

“ _Dude_ ,” Terushima whistled. “Why didn’t you just work  _there_? Those private security firms rake in the cash,” he groaned.

Bokuto slapped the back of Terushima’s neck, making the younger man yelp in protest more so from the action than the force of it. One pointed look from Bokuto later he was rushing to apologize to Iwaizumi, insisting that he hadn’t meant to pry or mean to insult him with his comments.

Iwaizumi waved the comments off quickly. He wasn’t offended and he  _could_  have worked for his dad’s company but he didn’t want to. His older brother was already carrying on the legacy and so his father didn’t need Iwaizumi to although he certainly tried to get Iwaizumi down that path as well.

It wasn’t about the money for him. Working for his father wasn’t the same as working for the police force. One was a private company and the other was a public service. Iwaizumi had always known which was more important to him.

While it was true that he  _would_  have made more money working in his father’s firm, he knew he wasn’t going to get the same kind of experience. Whether it was patrolling on foot or even  _desk duty_ , it was all a learning experience that Iwaizumi was grateful for. His father, however, couldn’t see the value in the work that he was doing.

At least Iwaizumi had his older brother on his side. Iwaizumi Hisao was his senior by ten years. He was only Iwaizumi’s half-brother by blood because he had never once treated Iwaizumi as anything but his complete family. Hisao had chosen his career path based on his personal wants, which was why he had always taken Iwaizumi’s side when it came to making a name for himself, something that Iwaizumi was grateful for.

“Would  _you_  want to work for your dad?” Iwaizumi asked honestly.

Terushima considered the question before he shrugged. “Fair enough,” he conceded.

They dropped the subject altogether after that but the uneasiness of having his family’s business brought up had already settled deep in Iwaizumi’s stomach.

It was stupid of him to get worked up over something like that but he had come to Tokyo for more than just one reason. Back in Miyagi everyone knew what his last name meant and while he worked hard at his job there were always whispers that followed him about why he was even there and what a disgrace he was to the rest of the police force.

He couldn’t exactly blame the people for their prejudices but sometimes Iwaizumi had to wonder whether that had hindered his ability to move up the ladder.

Now, it was like he was being followed by his father’s shadow once again. Just last week he had taken a call from his brother after ignoring his father’s calls only to learn that the reason he had been obsessively trying to get in touch with Iwaizumi was to tell him about the new opportunity he had in Tokyo.

A part of Iwaizumi was angry;  _of course_  his dad would open up a new branch in the city he had chosen to move to, just  _weeks_  after he had moved out. But another part of him knew that his father had always talked about expanding and there was a high demand for security in Tokyo and the neighbouring areas given the population.

But now his brother was moving here too and it felt like Hisao was being sent to keep an eye on Iwaizumi, make sure that he always had a backup. Iwaizumi could appreciate his father’s concern were he not so  _overbearing_. Iwaizumi was twenty-five; he’d be turning twenty-six in less than two months so there was no reason for his older brother to have to look after him.

Hisao hadn’t exactly been pleased to share that information, warning Iwaizumi multiple times not to shoot the messenger. Still, Iwaizumi’s frustration had fogged his mind and his ability to think clearly. He may have said things to his older brother that he wouldn’t have under any circumstances and the sudden realization made him feel like an awful person.

He needed to apologize but he wasn’t sure how to do that without sounding like he was going back with his tail between his legs.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom,” he said abruptly, pushing his chair back with a high-pitched screech.

He got a few acknowledgements of his departure but otherwise no one believed that anything was wrong. Instead of going to the bathroom Iwaizumi took the side exit into the alleyway and pulled out his phone and idly scrolled through the call log.

He saw a message from Oikawa, which made some of the regret pitted in his stomach start to unravel. Iwaizumi noticed the icon for an attachment – probably a picture – but before he could open it and see what Oikawa had sent, the backdoor flung open and Bokuto stepped out.

Bokuto turned his head right, towards the street with a frown before he turned left and spotted Iwaizumi leaning back against the brick wall.

“Hey,” Bokuto greeted. “I want to apologize for Terushima. I could say that he only said it because he’s been drinking but we both know he’s just as loud and obnoxious when he’s not so I hope you’re not too angry with him.”

“I’m not, I promise,” Iwaizumi insisted.

He really wasn’t angry with Terushima. As long as he wasn’t prejudiced against Iwaizumi for his family’s business, then Iwaizumi had no reason to dislike the other man.

“Oh thank fuck. I thought I was going to have to give him the cold shoulder for pissing off my partner and man, I am so bad at remembering to hold a grudge,” Bokuto let out an embarrassed chuckle. “You’re a good guy, Iwaizumi,” he clasped a hand supportively around Iwaizumi’s shoulder.

The fact that Bokuto would be willing to take his side just because they were partners spoke volumes about his loyalty.

“Thanks, Bokuto,” Iwaizumi said bashfully.

Bokuto’s sincere smile was response enough.

“And you know, if you ever want to talk about things I’m good to listen. Sure, we’re partners, but we're also friends and I’m not going to judge. But if you want to keep your personal life to yourself that’s fine too,” he added, giving Iwaizumi both options.

“I’ll take you up on that,” Iwaizumi promised, feeling a lot better than he had a few minutes ago.

He would call his brother later, make amends and maybe take him out to dinner when he got to Tokyo so they could return to being on the same page.

“You coming back in?” Bokuto asked curiously.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi agreed, walking through he door that Bokuto had held open for him.

In the time that he was gone, Terushima had gone back to singing karaoke and Kyoutani had resigned himself to giving up. It was late enough that if they were kicked out, they’d be fine to call it a night. Honestly, Iwaizumi was fine to call it a night  _now_  but he wasn’t going to ruin someone else’s celebrations.

He watched as Bokuto and a few of the other officers and some of Terushima’s friends from outside the police force joined him on the stage, taking turns to pick songs from the jukebox. Iwaizumi wasn’t big on public embarrassment or singing in general but he was content to sit there and enjoy his peers doing just that.

By the time they were ready to leave, it was almost 2 am and Iwaizumi could barely keep his eyes open. He was supposed to drop Terushima off at his home but the man was so drunk that Bokuto insisted they just call him a cab lest he puked all over the backseat of Iwaizumi’s car.

In the end, he only had Bokuto and Kyoutani to take home, which was easy enough. Bokuto lived in Minato so Iwaizumi dropped him off first before driving towards Kyoutani’s building, which was closer to Iwaizumi’s own place in Shibuya.

“Thanks for the ride,” Kyoutani greeted as Iwaizumi pulled up to the front of his building. He unbuckled his seat belt, hand reaching for the car door handle.

“No problem. Get some rest,” Iwaizumi laughed, eyes catching sight of the clock on the car clock that read 2:43 am.

“Like that’s going to be possible,” Kyoutani rolled his eyes. “My boyfriend’s got his friends over and because he’s pissed that I bailed on our first night off together in a while I know the place is going to be trashed,” Kyoutani heaved a heavy sigh.

Iwaizumi wasn’t sure which part of what Kyoutani said was more shocking: the fact that he had a boyfriend or the fact that he shared that information with Iwaizumi.

“Bokuto said you didn’t care,” Kyoutani stated at Iwaizumi’s silence. “Was he wrong?”

“Shit, sorry, I  _don’t_  care that you’ve got a boyfriend. I’m just surprised at how calmly you’re talking about going up to what sounds like a disaster zone,” he chuckled.

“Tell me about it,” Kyoutani shrugged. “It’s worse when you get pulled into one of their drinking nights though so there’s that at least,” he shuddered.

There was definitely a story there but it was late and Iwaizumi wasn’t going to ask if Kyoutani didn’t willingly share the information right away.

“Hey, you wanna do me a favour?” Kyoutani asked suddenly.

“Uh… right now?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Yeah,” Kyoutani nodded. “I know Yahaba’s friends won’t leave if I tell them to but maybe if I have some backup they’ll get the fuck out of there somewhat quicker.”

Iwaizumi chuckled as he watched Kyoutani’s eyebrows furrow together. He looked like he was trying to work out the math behind his logic and that was enough to make Iwaizumi agree to help the younger man out.

“Sure, is there somewhere I can park?”

“There’s a visitor parking around back. I’ll show you the way,” Kyoutani nodded to the street in front of them, pulling his seatbelt back on.

It took five minutes between Iwaizumi parking and Kyoutani leading the way up to his apartment. His building was nice but still lively even at this time of the night. It was close to the university, which made sense for why there were so many young people walking in and out of the elevators and why when they reached Kyoutani’s apartment on the fifth floor that there was music blaring without any regard for anyone else sleeping.

He couldn’t imagine living in a place like this. Iwaizumi couldn’t imagine how  _Kyoutani_  lived in a place like this; still, there was always more to people than met the eye, which Iwaizumi was quick to notice when Kyoutani threw open his front door and Iwaizumi was met with four incredibly tall and attractive men in the middle of playing a game of what looked like a game of  _Twister_.

“Kyouken-chan!” one of the men shouted.

Fuck, was that the guy who Oikawa had called  _Kuroo_?

Iwaizumi had seen him once before, that night that he saw the guy coming home with Oikawa. At the time, Iwaizumi thought that maybe they were just friends but when he found out that Oikawa was gay Iwaizumi had immediately assumed Kuroo was his boyfriend. After a few weeks of knowing Oikawa, Iwaizumi was happy to learn that Kuroo was just his best friend.

Still, the sight of him there didn’t make Iwaizumi feel any easier, if only because  _how the hell did Kyoutani know him_  and  _does Kyoutani know Oikawa too_?

“Don’t fucking call me that,” Kyoutani growled, snapping Iwaizumi back to reality.

“But it’s such a cute name for such a cute guy,” someone else said, breaking away from the game to throw his arms over Kyoutani’s shoulders.

This guy had light brown hair, face tinged pink from the alcohol. The way Kyoutani didn’t immediately shy away from the touch made Iwaizumi believe that this was Kyoutani’s boyfriend—Yahaba, as Kyoutani had called him earlier.

Iwaizumi didn’t know why he hadn’t made the connection earlier but he was pretty certain Oikawa had a friend named Yahaba too. And Oikawa had told him he was out drinking with his friends… so then where was he?  

It was awfully pretentious of Iwaizumi to assume that Oikawa only had one group of friends so he squashed the slight disappointment he felt at not seeing his neighbour’s familiar face.

“Listen up you assholes. I want my apartment back and my friend’s going to arrest you all for trespassing if you don’t get out right now,” Kyoutani shouted, ignoring Yahaba’s face pressing into his neck.

Iwaizumi would have been embarrassed about being privy to such a private moment were it not for the fact that he wasn’t the only other bystander.

“What’s Mr. Brooding going to do? Glare us into submission?” a tall blonde with glasses asked.

“I don’t know, he could beat you into it. He’s pretty jacked,” another, shorter – but still unfairly tall – man spoke up, nudging the blonde. “I bet he could take your skinny ass,” the man added, further goading the other guy.

“Fuck off Akaashi,” the blonde glared.

Iwaizumi felt awkward being spoken about like he wasn’t there. He subconsciously crossed his arms over his chest, which only made Yahaba giggle.

“Akaashi was right, he’s got pretty big muscles. I want you to look like that,” he teased Kyoutani.

Even if it was a joke, Iwaizumi didn’t feel comfortable being in the middle of it. Besides, it wasn’t like Kyoutani was lacking in muscle so Iwaizumi felt like he was being made fun of, in an entirely strange way.

“I don’t think this is working, I should go,” he apologized sheepishly to Kyoutani.

“No, stay!” the man who Iwaizumi learned was Akaashi shouted.

“Yeah, you’ve got to wait until Oikawa sees you at least,” Kuroo said.

“What?” Iwaizumi asked, turning his head to the right then left. “Oikawa’s not here,” he stated bluntly, ignoring the confused look he received from Kyoutani.

“Did I hear my name—oh Iwa-chan,” Oikawa said, coming to a stop just as he entered the living room.

His face was flushed but he was wearing a bright smile. The way he was leaning against the wall with one hand against it and the other cocked on his hip made him look taller than he already was. Iwaizumi felt his throat run dry and his hands start to sweat because  _fuck_ , Oikawa was really here and he was really cute.

Somehow, Oikawa couldn’t tell when they were together how often Iwaizumi stole glances at him but in front of Oikawa’s friends, Iwaizumi wasn’t sure he could hide his crush much longer.

Kuroo snorted, whispering something into the blonde’s ear who just rolled his eyes but a small smirk threatened to split his face. Iwaizumi felt like they were whispering about him. Or maybe Oikawa. Either way, it made the tips of his ears feel warm.

“What are you doing here?” Oikawa asked, smile slipping into a small frown as the gears in his brain shifted. “Did we get a noise complaint?” he asked, eyes widening in concern.

Iwaizumi couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. “I’m not in uniform,” he placated. “There was no noise complaint.”

“ _I guess he really is a police officer._ ”

Iwaizumi didn’t know who said that but he didn’t care at that point. All he could focus on was Oikawa and how good he looked with his cheeks a rosy pink. His eyes were glassy in a way they could only get if he was drunk but he looked in control of himself and his actions.

Until he started walking forward on wobbly steps.

He couldn’t help that he stepped up to steady Oikawa after watching him for a few moments with bated breath, letting the other man use his arm to balance himself as he brought Oikawa closer to the front door absentmindedly.

“You okay?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Yes,” Oikawa smiled, clutching the back of Iwaizumi’s shoulder, face far too close for comfort to Iwaizumi’s own. “You’re really strong,” he stated with a simple smile, causing Iwaizumi’s mouth to fall open slightly before he composed himself.

“Oh this is so fucking gross. Just make out and get this drama over with,” Tsukishima grumbled. “I’m out of here.”

Iwaizumi snapped his head back to the source of the voice. He could only conclude from the man’s snappy tone and the continuous snarky commented that this was Tsukishima, the one who Oikawa claimed could make a grown man cry with words alone.

“Wait up asshole, we were supposed to share a cab so we could split the price!” Akaashi called after him, bidding goodbye to Yahaba on both his and Tsukishima’s behalf.

Iwaizumi looked expectantly at Kuroo who just shrugged and said, “Oikawa was my cab buddy. If you’re taking him home you’re stuck with me as well.”

When Iwaizumi threw up his free hand in defeat Kuroo shot him a wide grin, using his palms, which were held back behind his back to push himself off the twister mat.

“This is not what I expected but it got the job done. Thanks, man,” Kyoutani patted his shoulder. “I didn’t know you knew Oikawa,” he asked with a slight raise of his eyebrows.

“He’s my neighbour,” Iwaizumi admitted, looking to Oikawa for confirmation.

He was met with a sleepy smile, similar to the one he had seen on Oikawa a few nights ago when their evening had turned into an impromptu movie night, and a short nod. Oikawa closed his eyes looking quite pleased with himself before he dropped his head on Iwaizumi’s shoulder, nose brushing against Iwaizumi’s collarbone.

“ _Just_  your neighbour?” Yahaba asked. He gave Kyoutani a stare as if to say ‘ _What_?’ when his boyfriend glared at him.

“Where do you live?” Iwaizumi asked Kuroo, ignoring Yahaba’s question.

Kuroo eyed him, lips teetering on the edge of a smile as if he could see through Iwaizumi’s ploy but he shrugged, answering the question straightforwardly, much to Iwaizumi’s relief.

That was the only straightforward part of Iwaizumi’s night though. Getting Oikawa to put on his shoes was a struggle. He either was too drunk to care or really didn’t know how but pealing Oikawa off of his side was an even bigger struggle than Iwaizumi had imagined. Navigating him down the hall, into the elevator and towards Iwaizumi’s car was even worse.

With Kuroo to help him, the task was made slightly easier though not any less shady. Iwaizumi couldn’t help but think that they looked quite shifty carrying a man who wasn’t exactly sober towards a car. It was a good thing Iwaizumi had his badge on him but it would have still been mortifying to be stopped by another police officer and asked to explain his actions.

Oikawa was lean but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t heavy. There was obvious muscle that made up his frame and his height didn’t make it any easier to carry him. By the time Oikawa was safely secured in the backseat of Iwaizumi's car, Iwaizumi was a little tired and a lot wary.  

“What the fuck did you guys give him?” he grunted, eyeing Oikawa in the backseat through the rear-view mirror.

He looked loopy, but sated and unharmed. With the way he kept moving his body loosely side to side every time the car turned however, Iwaizumi wasn’t so sure that Oikawa would come out of this without at least one bump or bruise.

“Nothing that the rest of us didn’t have. Oikawa’s just a lightweight,” Kuroo chuckled. “Thanks for the ride. I know you’re a cop so you’ll keep Oikawa safe but just so you know, if I hear one bad thing from Oikawa tomorrow morning you’re a dead man,” he grinned, his threat contradicting his smile.

“Right…” Iwaizumi said after a few beats of silence.

“Glad we’re on the same page,” Kuroo waved, stepping out of the car.

He cringed when Kuroo slammed his car door with a little too much force. Iwaizumi kept the car parked in front of Kuroo’s apartment building until he saw the other man disappear through the front door and catch an elevator to his floor before Iwaizumi turned back in the direction of home.

Oikawa had fallen into a deep sleep by the time Iwaizumi parked the car in the parking garage. He almost felt  _bad_  for disturbing Oikawa’s slumber, mesmerized by the small huffs of breath that escaped Oikawa every time he breathed out in his sitting position.

He tugged Oikawa as gently as he could out of the backseat, slinging Oikawa’s arm over his shoulder so he could support him better. At this time of the night, their apartment building was thankfully empty.

“Iwa-chan?” Oikawa asked when they entered the elevator.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi agreed. “You okay?”

“Hmm,” Oikawa nodded, nuzzling his face further into Iwaizumi’s neck.

Iwaizumi froze, unsure how he should react to the physical affection. Iwaizumi’s body was betraying his mind, feeling  _good_  with the fact that Oikawa was so close. He knew he shouldn’t have been enjoying this, especially because Oikawa wasn’t even aware of what he was doing.

This was so fucking embarrassing.

“Where are we?” Oikawa asked, warm breath fanning across Iwaizumi’s jaw.

“In the elevator of our building. I’m taking you to your apartment.”

“Okay,” Oikawa nodded, hair tickling the underside of Iwaizumi’s jaw and cheek.

 _Fuck_ , why was Oikawa so endearing? There was no way someone so tall, so handsome, so strong should have been this fucking  _cute_.

“Come on,” Iwaizumi nudged Oikawa forward when the elevator door slid open. 

Thankfully, Oikawa’s apartment wasn’t too far. Unfortunately, Iwaizumi was met with a new problem as they stood in front of Oikawa’s  _locked_  front door.

“Uh… do you have your keys?” Iwaizumi asked.

“What?” Oikawa asked dazedly. “ _Oh_ , yeah,” he nodded. “Front, right pocket,” he answered, making no move to get the keys out himself.

 _Seriously_?

Iwaizumi hesitantly reached for Oikawa’s front pocket, doing his best not let his hand slip too far in. The fact that Oikawa was wearing a pair of black joggers with deep pockets didn’t make Iwaizumi’s life any easier. He closed his eyes, wishing the flush on his face to go away.

Oikawa on the other hand was completely unperturbed by Iwaizumi’s hands.

He found Oikawa’s phone first, shoving that to the side before his hands clasped around Oikawa’s keys. He quickly fished them out, trying to forget the feel of Oikawa’s thighs against his palm – albeit  _clothed_  – but it was too late. The feeling had been engraved in Iwaizumi’s mind and he was absolutely  _fucked_.

“Why’s it taking so long?” Oikawa asked, eyebrows furrowed cutely.

Iwaizumi let out a pained laugh at the sight. A part of him wished Oikawa would forget all about this come tomorrow. Another part wanted Oikawa to remember because the fact that he was a clingy drunk made Iwaizumi like him more.

“Give me a second,” Iwaizumi promised quietly, shifting the key in the lock a few times.

He swung open the door carefully, flicked on the light and gently nudged Oikawa to walk forward but the other man had fallen asleep again. Or maybe he just didn’t want to walk because he seemed to be asleep too conveniently every time he needed to move from one place to another.

He didn’t want to leave Oikawa on the couch but he also felt like he was intruding if he took Oikawa to his room. Iwaizumi’s guilt at making his neighbour sleep uncomfortably and face what was already going to be a bad morning won out as he padded towards the bedroom, tugging Oikawa along.

The moment he opened the bedroom door, he froze. Aki was sitting up on his front legs, ears standing tall and tail bent up attentively. He should have expected that if he found bringing Oikawa to his car with Kuroo’s help hard and then bringing Oikawa up the elevator even more difficult then getting him to his bed should have been the most difficult part of their journey.

Somehow, he had managed to forget about Oikawa’s dog who unfortunately was not sleeping even though it was close to three fucking thirty in the morning. 

“For the love of god please don’t throw a fit now,” he begged as the Akita stared at him, eyes narrowed and teeth barred.

He supposed the greeting was expected  _this_  time around considering Iwaizumi was currently dragging the Akita’s owner. He knew this looked suspicious, especially given how close Oikawa and his dog were but that didn’t mean that Iwaizumi had any bad intentions.

Aki let out one menacing growl before he pranced over and took Oikawa’s pant leg between his teeth, tugging him away from Iwaizumi.

“Aki stop,” Iwaizumi begged to no avail. “Oikawa,” Iwaizumi nudged the other man a few times, hoping that if he woke up he’d be able to take matters into his own hands. “Oikawa, come on, you’ve got to get in your bed,” Iwaizumi whispered, brushing a hand through Oikawa’s hair in an attempt to wake him up.

If Iwaizumi wasn’t worried about losing his grip on Oikawa to Aki he would have taken a moment to appreciate how adorable Oikawa sounded when he let out a whine.

“Mmm don’t wanna,” Oikawa complained.

“Aki’s trying to tear you away and if he does that you’ll fall to the ground,” Iwaizumi reminded.

“Ugh, make him  _sto-op_ ,” Oikawa groaned moving to throw his other hand over Iwaizumi’s shoulder and clinging tightly.

“I would if I could,” Iwaizumi promised, breath hitching when he felt Oikawa’s chest press against his own. “Oikawa,  _please_ ,” Iwaizumi asked again, more for his own sake.

Aki growled loudly as if to agree with Iwaizumi— _for once_. Oikawa let out a sound of defeat before he let Iwaizumi bring him to the bed.

Iwaizumi didn’t have to think about dropping Oikawa gently on the bed. The moment Oikawa’s legs hit the bed frame he pulled away from Iwaizumi, laying back on the bed of his own free will.

He was still wearing the clothes he wore out, black joggers and a black t-shirt with the words  _Alien Invasion_  written across the front in capital, block letters. At this point though, Iwaizumi wasn’t sure there was any way he could get Oikawa to change into pyjamas in his current state. Getting Oikawa’s  _shoes_ off had been a struggle enough.

The moment Oikawa’s back hit the bed Aki jumped up and curled himself by Oikawa’s side, leaning his head over Oikawa’s stomach and essentially marking Oikawa as his territory.

Iwaizumi snorted at the sight.

 _Unbelievable_.

“Iwa-chan, are you staying?” Oikawa’s muffled voice came out from behind Aki’s head.

“I can’t,” Iwaizumi said, startled by Oikawa’s question, “it’s too late.”

“Doesn’t matter, stay here” Oikawa waved off, as if that was the most normal answer.

Iwaizumi’s heart beat harshly against his ribcage, threatening to burst through and wrap itself in Oikawa’s warm embrace.

“What?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Here,” Oikawa patted the spot next to him. “You should stay,” he repeated.

 _Fuck_. Did Oikawa even know what he was asking? Iwaizumi shook his head, swallowing the lump in his throat. He couldn’t trust his own voice from not wavering but he stepped forward, ran a hand through Oikawa’s hair and quietly said, “Another time.”

Maybe when Oikawa was certain what he was asking for and in the right mind to then Iwaizumi would. He had made a promise not to get ahead of himself; he had come to Tokyo to further his career, not fall for his goofy neighbour.

But maybe fate had a different plan for him.

One soft sight from Oikawa and the sight of his sleepy smile, chest heaving up and down slowly made Iwaizumi believe that he’d be fine with falling for Oikawa first, or even having that as the only change that came with moving.

Iwaizumi shook his head quietly, pushing the thoughts away for another time—a time when he was certain that Oikawa’s feelings weren’t just an effect of being a clingy drunk.

He retreated out of Oikawa’s room, grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen and two aspirins from the bottle he saw sitting up on the countertop. When Iwaizumi returned to place them on the nightstand next to Oikawa’s bed and he caught sight of Oikawa’s face so relaxed and vulnerable, Iwaizumi was met with a startling fondness in his chest that he didn’t know how to deal with.

So instead of lingering over his feelings, Iwaizumi dropped the items down and left Oikawa’s apartment as quickly as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor Iwa-chan... he thinks he's not going to fall for Oikawa but spoiler: he already has. 
> 
> next time:  
> \- Iwaizumi figures out Oikawa's profession and goes into (mild) shock  
> \- matsuhana make an appearance 
> 
> thanks for reading! please drop a comment/kudos if you enjoyed <3  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! I come bearing gifts on a Monday! c: 
> 
> [@fiorret](https://fiorret.tumblr.com/) on tumblr made this super wonderful art of [model!Oikawa](https://fiorret.tumblr.com/post/179194953785/self-indulgent-model-oikawa-loosely-based-off-of) on the cover of a magazine inspired by this fic! I am so so happy about it and I would love it if you guys could like/reblog the art in support of the amazing artist! thank you Joey for this fanart! I already told you how much I love it but I will continue to let you know because it's great! ♡

Iwaizumi landed flat on his back, the gym mats softening his landing slightly but not enough to completely block out the impact of Bokuto’s strength. He let out an involuntary groan, bringing his left arm up to stop the white, fluorescent lighting strung across the ceilings from blinding him too badly.

His body was sore from the repeated ass whooping he had received at Bokuto’s hand. Sparring with his partner was not uncommon; the two of them had come to enjoy practicing against one another because of their similar weights and builds. Usually, the playing field was even but today Bokuto had won all five of the rounds they usually sparred.

After the second loss, Iwaizumi had been ready to give up but he wasn’t a quitter so even though he knew he was going to end up going home with heavy muscles and an aching back he pushed through, getting his ass handed to him a third, fourth, and fifth consecutive time.

Bokuto to his credit didn’t go easy on him. As much as it sucked to lose – to not have his focus about him – it would have been worse to win because his partner felt  _bad_  for him. Iwaizumi would have reacted the same way that Bokuto had were their roles reversed so he could appreciate the other man not taking pity on him.

Still, the guilty expression on Bokuto’s face couldn’t be masked. Bokuto hovered over Iwaizumi’s sprawled out figure, casting a shadow over him.

“You good?” Bokuto asked, extending a hand out for Iwaizumi to take.

“Yeah, just… give me a second,” Iwaizumi exhaled shakily.

Bokuto dropped his arm and stepped back, heading for the bench. He wiped his neck and brow with a towel, arms reaching for the water bottle next to it.

It took him a few seconds to muster up the mental strength to push himself up and off the mat. Iwaizumi tried to ignore the way his muscles stiffened up. He hoped that a hot shower could soothe some of his achiness but he knew that he’d have to rub some balm over it before bed to keep himself from pulling a muscle.

He felt so out of shape it was embarrassing. It wasn’t like his muscle mass and technical skills had disappeared in the span of a few days but he was just so fucking tired that he could barely focus today. It was the first time he had actually been  _grateful_  to have been assigned desk duty.

His shift today hadn’t started till 2 pm so he couldn’t even use the fact that he had come in late this morning to excuse his shitty performance. Getting to bed at 4 am meant that he had a good eight and a half hours before he would have normally been up for his shift. Iwaizumi didn’t even need that much sleep but he did need  _some_.

Unfortunately, his body hadn’t graced him with peaceful slumber. Instead, he had been plagued by thoughts of Oikawa and his pink face, his stupidly soft hair tickling Iwaizumi’s cheek and his warmth breath all over Iwaizumi’s skin. Oikawa was unfairly attractive and had a body to match. He could be a little annoying but he had good intentions and Iwaizumi – as smitten as he was – actually found Oikawa’s uncanny ability to get to the bottom of things endearing.

He cared about people—he cared about  _Iwaizumi_ , and Iwaizumi had no idea what any of that meant.

He had worked himself to the brink of frustration, playing over in his mind how differently last night could have gone and what it would have felt like to wake up with Oikawa next to him, his body warm and his limbs pliant.

His thoughts had gotten so demanding that Iwaizumi jerked off twice to Oikawa’s face, coming so hard he was sure Oikawa would just  _know_  the next time they ran into one another. He should have been embarrassed – he should have been  _satisfied_  – but jerking off had only left him with a sense of absence.

Iwaizumi knew what –  _who_  – was missing in his life; he just didn’t know what to do about it.

He dragged out a heavy sigh, flipping over onto his stomach before using his arms to push himself up. By the time he joined Bokuto at the bench his partner was already sitting down, face clean of sweat and towel draped loosely around his shoulders.

“I’d ask if you had a rough night but considering you weren’t even drinking I take it there were other problems?” Bokuto asked, throwing a water bottle at Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi grunted his thanks, squirting the liquid into his mouth from the tip. He wiped some of the water that had run down his chin with the back of his hand before putting the bottle back on the bench next to him.

“Something like that,” he sighed, thinking back to how he had spent the majority of his night after getting home.

“Better than being hungover though, right?” Bokuto asked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Honestly?” Iwaizumi chuckled wryly. “I’d rather be hungover right now. At least I’d know how to deal with that,” he added under his breath.

He thumped his head back against the cold wall, eyes closed. Iwaizumi didn’t think that Bokuto would judge him but he also wasn’t willing to indulge on the details of his night. The only person they were embarrassing for was him and Iwaizumi wasn’t in the mood to feel worse.

“Well, there’s nothing you can’t get over,” Bokuto encouraged.

“Thanks, man,” Iwaizumi groaned his thanks. “Should we go?”

Bokuto nodded, getting up and leading the way to the showers.

It was late, past 11 pm, and would be closer to midnight by the time Iwaizumi would get home. But he had Sunday off by some miracle so Iwaizumi wasn’t in a rush. It was a good thing too because he wasn’t sure he could move at his normal speed at the moment.

Even though Bokuto had beat him at every match and his muscles felt shot, there was something relaxing about being so sore that it was a struggle to move.

Tomorrow, there would be a lot more pain but with it would come the satisfactory feeling of a thorough workout. To avoid being too stiff to move, Iwaizumi worked his tense muscles under the spray of the hot shower.

By the time he had slung his towel over his hips and made his way to his locker, Bokuto was already dressed and waiting for him, legs on either side of the bench running between the lockers and hand swiping idly across his phone.

“Hey,” Bokuto greeted, “you feeling okay?”

“Could be better but I’ve got no one to blame but myself,” Iwaizumi admitted sheepishly. “Thanks for waiting up.”

“No problem,” Bokuto smiled. “And don’t beat yourself up about today. I could tell you were distracted so in my books we can just scrap what happened from our memories,” he grinned. “Besides, I know how much you look forward to the end of your shift so you can talk to your man. I bet that’s guaranteed to make you feel better,” he winked.

Iwaizumi couldn’t help the grimace that crossed his face. His stomach dropped at the thought of Oikawa, heart wrenching painfully. But it wasn’t  _Oikawa’s_  fault that he was the reason for Iwaizumi’s inner turmoil.

If last night was anything to go by though, Iwaizumi knew that he  _really_  liked Oikawa; he just didn’t know what to do about it.

The easy answer was to ask him out. Thoughts of ruining their new friendship aside, Iwaizumi felt unrightfully  _guilty_  about it because the idea was just so selfish.

He had to remind himself that he was allowed to want multiple things at once though; he was allowed to want to prove himself as a better police officer and have a new relationship.

Still, was it fair to Oikawa if Iwaizumi wasn’t completely focused on him? If his mind had more than one priority?

Although he tried to hide his worries, Bokuto was quick to notice the sudden shift in his facial expression. As embarrassing as it was, more often than not, the mere mention or even reference to something that reminded him of Oikawa could cause a change in Iwaizumi’s mood.

“Don’t tell me you guys are fighting,” Bokuto frowned.

Iwaizumi shook his head. “No, nothing like that,” he reassured. Whether it was himself or Bokuto he was trying to convince was anyone’s guess.

“But it is  _him_  – this guy you’ve been talking to – that’s got you out of sorts, right?” Bokuto asked.

If Iwaizumi were back in Miyagi, he would have talked to Matsukawa or Hanamaki about this. As much as it was guaranteed that they’d tease him mercilessly, they would also hear him out honestly and tell him what he needed. 

But Iwaizumi couldn’t just text his friends his problems without any background and he wasn’t sure he wanted to explain just how much Oikawa’s presence affected him.

The added fact that his friends were so far away would be made a reality with this conversation and Iwaizumi wasn’t sure he was willing to accept that distance on top of the miserable mood he was already in.

A part of his mind reminded him that he wasn’t limited to his friends back home and that he did have someone who had offered their unwavering support and trust just last night.

Swallowing down his pride, Iwaizumi nodded at his partner and friend. He pulled on a pair of pants, throwing the towel that had been around his waist over his shoulders to catch the water dripping from his hair instead before he sat down on the bench next to Bokuto.

It was an awkward time between shifts that the lockers were thankfully empty.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi answered finally. “I saw him last night after I dropped you off. Turns out he’s friends with Kyoutani’s boyfriend so he was at his place when I dropped off Kyoutani. Long story short: Kyoutani wanted help kicking his boyfriends’ friends out of his apartment, I saw Oikawa and ended up taking his drunk ass home, which was  _fine_  but he was so touchy and I feel so bad for enjoying it,” Iwaizumi groaned.

He dropped head into his hands. “For fuck’s sake, he was drunk and obviously didn’t know what he wanted and I can’t believe I considered staying over for even half a second when he asked,” Iwaizumi flushed.

Bokuto let out a low whistle of disbelief. The sound wasn’t unkind and didn’t harbour any ill judgement but it still caused Iwaizumi’s stomach to twist uncomfortably.

“That wasn’t what I was expecting,” Bokuto admitted.

“Sorry,” Iwaizumi apologized.

“I didn’t mean I wanted an apology,” Bokuto smiled. “You  _sure_  he didn’t know what he wanted? I mean, it sounds to me like he likes you. He texts you ever day and he invites you over to his house or out with him and you’ve only known him for like three weeks. So if you’re holding yourself back because you’re unsure—oh for fuck’s sake, is this about his  _dog_?” Bokuto yelled, thoughts stopping mid-speech.

Iwaizumi blinked dazedly a few times before he burst into loud laughter. He didn’t know how long it took his shoulders to stop heaving and to catch his breath but when he did, his body felt lighter than it had all day.

“It’s not his dog,” Iwaizumi chuckled.

Although it wasn’t a farfetched idea that Bokuto believed he’d be discouraged by Aki’s behaviour.

“Good, because I’d have personally kicked your ass if your reasoning was something that stupid,” Bokuto admitted. “So what, you don’t think he likes you? You won’t know if you don’t try,” he reminded.

“It’s not the rejection that I’m afraid of,” Iwaizumi said, “but rather just losing his company. It’s like I’m getting ahead of myself. I literally moved here less than a month ago.”

Bokuto shook his head, wearing an expression somewhere between amusement and disbelief.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to take chances to make sure you get your happiness. Your neighbour sounds like a good guy. I’m sure that in the  _very slim_  chance that he doesn’t like you he’s not going to end your friendship over it. So ask him out because I cant guarantee a performance like today won’t make it to the forefront of rumours spreading around here the next time,” he teased.

Everything Bokuto said was right and Iwaizumi knew it. He wouldn’t normally doubt himself so he wasn’t sure why he was starting to now. Every decision he had made – both good and bad – he had stuck through it, accepted the outcome and done better for the next time. His feelings for Oikawa shouldn’t have been any different.

That realization was the push he needed to accept that what happened in life really was out of his control.

“You’re right,” Iwaizumi agreed.

Bokuto grinned at the declaration.

“Atta boy,” he said clapping Iwaizumi across the back supportively. “Now go put on a shirt and grab your things so we can go home,” he instructed.

Iwaizumi shook his head, a small smile threatening to turn into something bigger. He put his damp towel in his gym bag, pulled on a shirt and threw the rest of his belongings into his bag as well before shutting the locker door.

He hadn’t spoken to Oikawa all day and Iwaizumi hadn’t wanted to text him early in the morning before his shift in case Oikawa’s phone went off and woke him up. He needed the sleep given his state yesterday.

But now that Iwaizumi had made up his mind with Bokuto’s help about how he was going to address his feelings for Oikawa, he saw no harm in checking his messages a little earnestly before he left.

He was both pleased and surprised that Oikawa had texted him, wondering if maybe Oikawa didn’t remember what he had asked Iwaizumi last night. Seeing that Oikawa had messaged him also gave Iwaizumi the push to think that maybe Oikawa really  _did_  return his feelings.

When he opened the text, he was greeted with two pictures. The first was the glass of water and pain relievers that Iwaizumi had left on Oikawa’s nightstand with a caption thanking Iwaizumi for his thoughtfulness.

The second picture was a selfie of Oikawa looking quite good for someone who was bound to be hungover this morning. The text attached to it said something about how he didn’t feel so great on the inside but it was thanks to Iwaizumi that he didn’t look it.

It was the second picture that got to Iwaizumi. Oikawa looked really good and he was tempted to save the picture to his photo library.

He was saved the trouble of arguing with himself over how creepy that was by Bokuto.

“Is that him?” he asked, trying to peer over Iwaizumi’s shoulder.

If Bokuto had really wanted to pry then he could have considering he was taller than Iwaizumi but his respect for Iwaizumi’s privacy was what made Iwaizumi hand his phone over to his partner.

“Holy shit,” Bokuto whistled.

Iwaizumi was fully aware that Oikawa was very good looking. It was an objective fact but he was caught between pride for Bokuto’s appreciation of Oikawa’s good looks and irritation because there was definitely a better way to convey it.

“That’s Oikawa Tooru,” Bokuto stated before Iwaizumi could round on him.

“Yeah—hang on, you know him?” Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes.

As far as he could remember he had never mentioned Oikawa’s first name to Bokuto. Did  _everyone_  he worked with also know Oikawa? First Kyoutani and now Bokuto?

“ _Dude_ ,” Bokuto chuckled, “ _everyone_  knows him,” he said flatly.

Iwaizumi didn’t. Not until he had moved in right next to the man.

“His face is always on that huge advertising screen near Shinjuku station. Have you been to Ginza yet? Walk down the street and you’re bound to see him modelling for at least one luxury brand,” Bokuto explained. “Damn, I didn’t know he was your  _neighbour_. How the fuck did you manage that?” he gawked.

Bokuto was speaking to him, standing less than a foot away yet everything he was saying felt like it was it was coming from a distance. Iwaizumi had stopped listening. Or maybe he had stopped processing the words.

In an instant all the courage that he had built up, the decision that he had made about Oikawa, disappeared.

“How did you not know?” Bokuto asked.

“I—I don’t know,” Iwaizumi admitted, tearing himself away from his thoughts. “He did tell me to Google him but I thought he was joking.”

Bokuto’s jaw dropped open in shock. “He told you to Google him and you just lived your life obliviously? Man, I wish I had some of your self-control,” he laughed.

Iwaizumi wasn’t sure if it was self-control or just plain stupidity.

Looking back to that day when he and Oikawa were supposed to take Aki to Yoyogi Park, Iwaizumi could remember people turning back to stare at them. At the time Iwaizumi had passed it off as curiosity because they  _did_  have a very stubborn dog with them. Then, Iwaizumi had worried it was because he had been obvious in his feelings for Oikawa and that maybe people were judging him.

Now, Iwaizumi knew that it wasn’t either of those things but rather people were surprised to see someone like Oikawa out and about on the streets.

Modelling in Japan wasn’t the most stressful jobs in terms of the public eye but if people had noticed Oikawa, there was no denying he was one of the better-known models.

He had an ad on the screen above Shinjuku station? He was featured in stores that sold their goods in  _Ginza_? The reality of it all was too much for Iwaizumi. A part of him wanted to believe that Bokuto was lying. Another part knew that there was no reason for Bokuto to get a kick out of this; he wasn’t that kind of person.

“Hey, you okay?” Bokuto asked. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ve met Oikawa before. Kyoutani’s boyfriend works for the same agency as him and I got invited to a party with them once. He was a nice guy; definitely loved the attention and the spotlight when the cameras were on him but behind all that, when he was with his friends, he was down-to-earth. So you had better not let  _this_  get to you. I’ll take his dog being aggressive as a better excuse,” Bokuto warned.

“Don’t worry about it,” Iwaizumi said, pulling together a smile.

It didn’t look like Bokuto believed him but he also didn’t argue. He took one look at the time and pushed Iwaizumi towards the door, insisting that they take advantage of their day off before they came back to work on Monday.

Iwaizumi wished it were that easy to follow Bokuto’s advice. What he needed was a good night’s rest to clear his thoughts. But the moment he got into his car, his mind had different ideas.

He placed his belongings in the backseat, pulled out his keys and stopped right before he turned on the engine. Instead, Iwaizumi reached for his phone and finally looked up Oikawa’s name. He was lucky that his parking spot was in the farthest corner of the parking lot so Bokuto had driven off before Iwaizumi even got to his car.

The search started off tame, with just pictures of Oikawa for his various modelling gigs and a link to his Instagram, which was mostly filled with photos of Aki and Oikawa’s nephew, Takeru.

It was cute and Iwaizumi almost felt soothed by how  _normal_  Oikawa was until his eye caught on to the one million followers he had. Oikawa really  _was_  pretty famous and Iwaizumi wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Iwaizumi's family may have been rich and well-known, but it was different from being  _famous_.

Iwaizumi knew that he had good qualities of his own and he wasn’t one to put himself down; somehow though, he couldn’t find himself being able to compete at the same level of Oikawa and that was more than just a bit intimidating.

Past the photos though, there were news articles that dated back seven years to when Oikawa was just graduating high school. They spoke about his talent as an athlete and the national-level calibre he had. The articles about his fame as a volleyball player followed him just to the end of university.

Iwaizumi’s thumb hovered over a link titled  _‘Oikawa Tooru: Superstar at 18, Failure at 22._ ’ He had no doubt it had to do with the reason for why Oikawa was no longer playing volleyball, why he didn’t have the career he had been predicted to have for so many years.

But Iwaizumi was able to draw a line.

This was personal. News articles never got things right; Iwaizumi knew how fake they could be considering his father had been the target of a scandal a few times given his history with marriage and women.

Still, Iwaizumi couldn’t deny that he was curious. He wanted to ask Oikawa, but he also didn’t want Oikawa to know that he had looked him up even though Oikawa had joked about Iwaizumi doing that from the very start. It was so impersonal to find out information that way. Call him old school but Iwaizumi believed that conversations were important.

So then he was being a real hypocrite for wanting to avoid Oikawa over  _this_.

It wasn’t that he liked Oikawa any less; in fact, knowing that Oikawa somehow lost the career he had clearly been working his entire life for and was able to be a success somewhere else just added to his charisma and that made Iwaizumi like him even more.

But how could Iwaizumi compare to that when his family name had basically helped him get through life. Iwaizumi knew that deep down that wasn’t really the case and that he had worked towards his goal but life hadn’t exactly been  _hard_  for him. Everything Iwaizumi knew about Oikawa from personal experience and everything he had just read about his neighbour proved that their lives had been totally different.

Iwaizumi somehow felt unworthy.

He heaved a sigh, throwing his phone onto the passenger side seat with a little too much force. It bounced once but thankfully cushioned itself against the backseat. It was late now, and Iwaizumi needed to go home.

Deep down, he must have had different ideas because instead of following his normal route home Iwaizumi found himself stopped at a stoplight in the middle of Shinjuku, staring up at that advertisement screen Bokuto had been talking about. And there it was, a moving video of Oikawa promoting what looked like a new clothing line.

He looked  _good_. Not that he didn’t always look good but somehow, seeing his body blown up on a huge screen just magnified his attractiveness. He was wearing a dress shirt with the front open, exposing his chest all the way down to his abdomen. It wasn’t too much skin but what Iwaizumi could see made him groan aloud in embarrassment. It didn’t help that Oikawa was wearing a pair of jeans that rode low on his hips.

Iwaizumi wondered what it would feel like to run his hands over all that smooth skin, maybe dip below his waistline and—

The sound of a car honking jerked Iwaizumi out of his daze.  

He quickly pulled out of the busy centre, heading back to his own place instead.

What the fuck was he even doing? It wasn’t like proving to himself that yes, Oikawa was far out of his league was going to make his feelings go away? And Iwaizumi didn’t  _want_  his feelings to go away either.

He wanted to ask Oikawa out; Iwaizumi told both himself and Bokuto that he would. Sure, his fame had scared him off in the first instant but hearing Bokuto say that he had met Oikawa and liked him was a bit of a relief. Bokuto wasn’t the kind of person to dislike many people but he wouldn’t lie about their character either.

Iwaizumi already knew how charming Oikawa was but Bokuto’s approval made him feel almost proud.

So what was the problem now?

Even Iwaizumi couldn’t figure out why he was acting so hesitant. He was a go-getter and he  _should_  have been going after what he wanted. He just wasn’t sure that if he struck out he could handle knowing that there were so many other paths he could have taken in his life to be as successful as Oikawa had made himself because maybe then Oikawa would have seen him the same way.

The ‘ _what if’s_ ’ plagued his thoughts all the way home. When Iwaizumi finally stepped out of the elevator and pulled out his keys to open his front door, he caught himself.

He may have been distracted but years of training had given him a sixth sense for when things were different— _off_.

It wasn’t like he was allowed to take his gun home off-duty but he had been taught not to rely on his weapon all through the academy.

Iwaizumi knew that his apartment wasn’t as empty as he had left it if the feet shuffling around inside were anything to go by but he was also prepared to handle it. And if that wasn’t enough proof, Iwaizumi could see light flooding through the crack at the bottom of the door even though he was certain he had turned off all the lights before leaving for work earlier on in the day.

With a muttered curse under his breath Iwaizumi lodged his key into the front door, surprised that it was locked in the first place. Wouldn’t burglars keep the door open for an easy escape?

He saw a flash below his feet. The lights had been turned off. Did they think they could  _hide_  from him?

The gall just worked up Iwaizumi’s annoyance. He threw open the door, flicked on the light in the genkan and dropped his bag onto the floor, eyes searching for the intruders.

“Surprise, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa beamed, popping up from behind the couch.

“Yeah,  _Iwa-chan_ ,” Hanamaki added, standing up next to Oikawa.

“What are you guys doing in my apartment?” Iwaizumi asked flatly.

“We were trying to surprise you,” Oikawa frowned, waving to the apartment that was now fully furnished.

“Yeah,  _Iwa-chan_ ,” Matsukawa repeated, coming out of the kitchen to stand next to Hanamaki.

Iwaizumi’s brain worked at a mile a minute to figure out what was happening here. The last he checked, his friends weren’t due to come down until  _Monday_. And what the hell were they doing with Oikawa? They looked far too friendly for Iwaizumi’s liking.

“It’s 1 am, what the fuck is wrong with you guys? You can’t just break into someone’s apartment,” Iwaizumi groaned, taking off his shoes. “Not you, Oikawa,” he added, catching the slight flinch on Oikawa's face at Iwaizumi's harshness, “I’m sure these two idiots dragged you into this.”

He couldn’t deny that it was nice to have a fully furnished apartment finally. But there was definitely a better way to go about it.

“Okay, first of all,  _rude_ ,” Hanamaki feigned offense, “Second, you’re not just ‘someone’ you’re our best friend so it’s not like we did anything wrong. And third, we didn’t break into your apartment: the landlord let us in,” he rolled his eyes.

“What did you want us to do? Take all your shit back home?” Matsukawa asked.

“If you had been here three weeks ago when you were supposed to you wouldn’t have that problem, now would you?” Iwaizumi snapped.

“It’s not my fault Makki shipped it to the wrong address,” Matsukawa shrugged. 

Hanamaki turned to Matsukawa, mouth hung open in shock. “I want all the hamburger steaks I fed you to keep that secret. Cough ‘em up, jackass.”

Oikawa’s light laugh brought the tension in the room down to a simmer. He covered his mouth with the palm of his hand upon realizing that he had just laughed aloud in a situation that may not have been the most appropriate. Iwaizumi couldn’t help the fond smile that escaped him at the sight, shoulders relaxing.

He had been so caught up in telling himself  _why_  he couldn’t ask Oikawa out when he had missed the most obvious reason that he should: because he  _wanted_  to.

All the things Iwaizumi had read about, all the stuff he knew about Oikawa’s job and how good he was at it felt like dust compared to the Oikawa that he had come to know.

“Sorry,” Oikawa ducked his head, apologizing sheepishly.

“Don’t apologize, they’re always like this,” Iwaizumi said quickly before Oikawa could feel any worse.

“Yeah, you should see us when we’re really trying to piss Iwaizumi off,” Hanamaki grinned, clapping a hand over Oikawa’s shoulder.

The information made Oikawa lose some of sheepishness, a happy smile replacing the uncertainty.

“Well, I’m glad to know you’re home safe, Iwa-chan. I should go now though. You’re probably tired and want to sleep. Or spend time with your friends,” he chuckled, heading towards Iwaizumi. “Plus I left Aki at home alone and I know he’s probably waiting up for me,” he added bashfully.

“You were worried about me?” Iwaizumi asked, stunned by Oikawa’s answer.

“Well, duh,” Oikawa nodded. “You work a risky job and you didn’t answer any of my texts so…” he trailed off, “And anyway, I can’t lose one of my new friends  _now_ ,” he laughed, waving off any of the embarrassment he felt with his honesty. 

Iwaizumi didn’t bother to remind Oikawa that he was still on desk duty and there was nothing dangerous about that. The fact that Oikawa was worried about him made his stomach somersault in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, unsure what to say. Thankfully, Oikawa wasn’t looking for a response because he changed the subject, moving past Iwaizumi swiftly to slip on his shoes.

“There’s agedashi tofu for you in the kitchen. My sister was over at my place today with Takeru and when she heard Makki complain about the lack of food in your apartment she made dinner,” he explained. “Have a goodnight, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa said in a rush, waving a quick goodbye.

It was strange how quickly Oikawa had disappeared. Yeah, it was late but Oikawa clearly hadn’t had any qualms being in Iwaizumi’s apartment in the first place and it wasn’t like Iwaizumi had wanted to kick him out.

As he watched the spot where Oikawa had just been, arms reaching forward to lock the door out of habit, Iwaizumi was left with the sinking feeling that he had just missed a chunk of their conversation and that maybe Oikawa had been offended by Iwaizumi's misleading annoyance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor Iwa-chan and poor Oikawa... it's not a bad ending though, I promise! things clear up in the next chapter for sure, I promise lol 
> 
> next time:  
> \- impromptu double date aka matsuhana are the best wingmen  
> \- "did you see the photoshoot where I modelled underwear?" - Oikawa Tooru
> 
> thanks for reading! please drop a comment/kudos if you enjoyed <3 I very much appreciate the support!  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> being an adult™ is hard. this entire week I told myself I'd come home and upload this chapter and then I got back from work and felt so exhausted I got through one page of editing and wanted to cry bc everything about this chapter felt bad to me ;___; but, it's a Saturday morning, I've got Monday off and am planning to write and that has motivated me to accept and ignore that this chapter is not my best writing...
> 
> I hope you enjoy it regardless bc there's definitely some progress on the iwaoi!

“I can’t believe your neighbour is Oikawa Tooru and you haven’t gone after him yet even though it’s painfully obvious that he wants you to,” Hanamaki nagged, only a few seconds after Oikawa had left.

Iwaizumi didn’t even have the energy to tell him to quit being so loud in case Oikawa was still in the hallway.

He wasn’t surprised that his friend knew who Oikawa was, but he did feel a little stupid now that he was the  _only_  one, apparently, who didn’t.

If Oikawa had played volleyball then Iwaizumi would have had to have seen him in a tournament in Miyagi. His high school team hadn’t been the best but they had played quite a few games and even though Oikawa’s team was in a completely different league there were quite a few tournaments where teams from all rankings were invited and given a fair shot.

“Don’t think I don’t know you’re trying to avoid the conversation on how you lost my belongings that I trusted you with,” Iwaizumi rounded on him.

Hanamaki shot him a sheepish grin. “ _Technically_  I didn’t lose anything. It’s all here, isn’t it?” he asked.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, knowing that it was a lost cause to fight what had already been fixed. He might have been angry if his friends had actually lost all his belongings but it was all here now, hopefully in as good of a condition as he had left it all in.

“What do you know about him?” Iwaizumi asked, changing the subject back to Hanamaki’s initial statement.

He felt like a cheat for getting information on Oikawa he may not have necessarily been willing to read through articles but heard from him friends. But he couldn’t deny his curiosity, especially after seeing Oikawa again now.

Iwaizumi had been worried about facing Oikawa after having inadvertently sought out the billboard Bokuto had told him about; he had expected his brain to shut down and for him to blurt out the truth but that hadn’t happened. He supposed he owed that to his friends and their rather sudden visit.

Still, Iwaizumi was going to have to admit it to Oikawa eventually. He figured the more information he had before then, the better he could approach him.

“Star setter and one of the faces of Miyagi’s volleyball world all through high school. He got a full ride to Waseda and was rumoured to have been given the opportunity to sign with the Sakai Blazers but he turned it down, moved back to Miyagi and then picked up modelling,” Hanamaki shrugged. “No one  _officially_ knows why but his mother died not too long after that so everyone assumes he quit volleyball because of her health.”

“And his dad?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Who knows,” Hanamaki frowned. “Apparently he left when Oikawa was a kid and there’s never been a mention of him anywhere else as far as I know,” he grimaced.

Iwaizumi felt awful hearing that information. All of this was available for just  _anyone_  to read? He couldn’t explain the anger that bubbled up inside him at the thought. Oikawa wasn’t a show for someone to marvel at, to poke and prod into his life. He was a human being and it was unfair that this much  _personal_  information was easily known about him just because of the career he had chosen.

Even when he was still a teenager he had his talents broadcasted. Sure, it was great for exposure but the moment he wanted that life to be over, it was unfair for people to speculate the reason  _why_  he had quit volleyball.

Part of the anger was directed at himself for falling prey to the masses. He should have just asked Oikawa directly or waited for him to say something to Iwaizumi himself. He felt angry with himself as well after having been on the same side as Oikawa. With his father’s booming business and his less than straight marriage path, Iwaizumi was no stranger to tabloids and he couldn’t believe he had become someone who read about other people when he hated that career so much.

“You didn’t know?” Matsukawa asked, reading the anger on Iwaizumi’s face for what it was.

“I never thought to. I didn’t even know he was famous until today. He hinted at it and gave me the option to look him up if I wanted but I got the feeling that he didn’t  _really_  want me to and I can see why now,” Iwaizumi admitted.

He lugged his gym bag forward, putting it against the wall near the hallway as a reminder to throw his dirty clothes in the laundry hamper before bed.

Normally, Iwaizumi would have come home, warmed up a quick instant noodle dinner, checked the news and whatever messages he had missed, and then would have gone to bed. Despite the fact that he had a long day today and he was both mentally and physically exhausted, he wasn’t sleepy.

“Well don’t act like a weirdo around him because of it  _now_ ,” Hanamaki warned.

“Easy for you to say,” Iwaizumi scowled. “How’d you get in here, anyway?” he asked.

He hadn’t given either Matsukawa or Hanamaki a key and he didn’t have a spare one. The only person who had a master key to all their apartments was their landlord. The caveat with the apartments in the building was that they were self-locking. It was a good thing for anyone who was forgetful and couldn’t remember if they had locked their door but the other hand, the self-locking door were a gateway to forgetting keys at home in the first place.

“Your landlord let us in,” Matsukawa shrugged.

“What kind of a useless landlord lets anyone into a tenant’s apartment?” Iwaizumi cursed.

Hanamaki threw up a peace sign and a shit-eating grin in response that was anything but convincing. Iwaizumi smacked his hand away before he plopped down on the couch, joining his friends who had already seated themselves in the armchairs across from him.

He thought about offering his friends something to eat or drink but had known Hanamaki and Matsukawa for years now. They were past the politeness and knowing them, they had probably already raided what was good to eat.

“You think your brother’s the kind of person to not do a background check on the landlord before he set you up here?” Matsukawa asked seriously. “The apartment  _is_  under his name, isn’t it?” he prompted.

“He’s  _here_?” Iwaizumi asked, feeling a jolt of panic at the thought.

He couldn’t deal with his brother coming to visit while he was in the middle of panicking about Oikawa.

“Nah, he just called the landlord authorizing us to be in the apartment,” Hanamaki waved off like it was the most obvious answer.

Iwaizumi wasn’t sure if he should have been grateful for the fact that his brother hadn’t just dropped by or annoyed with his friends’ nonchalance at going over his head like that.

He loved his brother but that didn’t mean that Iwaizumi didn’t need an hour’s notice to meet him. Hisao may have supported Iwaizumi in his career path but that didn’t mean he wasn’t prone to nagging. Iwaizumi knew it was because his brother cared about him but the less reasons he gave Hisao to scold, the smoother their reunion would go.

“Can we stop talking about my brother?” Iwaizumi groaned, dropping his head back against the couch.

“You’re the one who brought him up,” Hanamaki pointed out. “But okay, let’s talk about Oikawa and your obvious crush on him instead,” he said smoothly.

Iwaizumi squeezed his eyes shut, wishing that he hadn’t thought about how he missed his friends after all.

“You guys close?” Hanamaki asked, ignoring Iwaizumi’s annoyance.

“I don’t know, I guess as close as we can be for someone who didn’t know how famous Oikawa was,” he mumbled.

“Oh, quit moping,” Hanamaki rolled his eyes.

“I’m not  _moping_ ,” Iwaizumi glared, tone irate.

“Sure, whatever,” Hanamaki waved off. “All I know is that he’s cute as fuck, has an attitude that frankly I think you need a little bit of in your life as an influence and is clearly into you.”

Iwaizumi furrowed his eyebrows, trying to wrap his mind around the last bit of Hanamaki’s statement. His friends were supportive, always, but they had never been dishonest with him or led him astray. Iwaizumi was willing to believe they knew something he didn’t but the idea that Oikawa liked him made his chest clench until he couldn’t breathe so he stored that away for when he was less tired.

“You agree with him?” he asked Matsukawa instead, jerking his head in Hanamaki’s direction.

“Sorry,” Matsukawa shrugged apologetically, “but I do.”

“You’ve been agreeing with him all the time ever since you started dating,” Iwaizumi grumbled under his breath.

“You going to ask him out?” Matsukawa asked.

On his drive home, Iwaizumi had been mulling over the question. After having seeing Oikawa, the decision was easy.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi confessed. “Even if his dog’s a menace and hates me,” he laughed.

If Oikawa returned his feelings then Iwaizumi was hopeful they’d spend more time together. Unfortunately, that meant spending more time with Aki too. He was open to getting to know the dog better as long as Aki was going to give him a try as well although Iwaizumi wasn’t sure how easy it would be to convince the Akita of that.

“Hold the fuck up,” Hanamaki interrupted. “Are you calling the sweetest, cutest, most precious dog in the world a  _menace_?” he asked, offended by Iwaizumi’s choice of words.

“Oh fuck you, he  _didn’t_  try to bark, growl or paw at you to get away from Oikawa?”

Hanamaki laughed loudly at Iwaizumi’s expense and that was all the answer he needed. Iwaizumi picked up a newly placed couch cushion off the seat next to him and chucked it across the room at Hanamaki’s face. He smirked in satisfaction when it caused his friend to stop laughing momentarily but when Matsukawa burst into loud laughter at the sight and re-initiated the teasing Iwaizumi considered his night a lost cause.

* * *

Waking up with a hangover was probably one of the worst feelings. That morning when Oikawa woke up with a pounding headache, a dry feeling in his throat and the stickiness of having fallen asleep in the clothes he wore to go out, the first thing that crossed his mind was to figure out where he was.

The sight of gold stars fitting together as constellations across the ceiling washed a feeling of relief through his body. At least he was home in his own bed.

He hadn’t gone out to a bar or a club so the chances of waking up with someone else in a place that wasn’t his apartment were slim. Still, Oikawa couldn’t immediately remember how he had gotten home and that was always an indication to panic.

The longer he thought about it, the clearer the activities near the end of the night became. Iwaizumi showing up at Yahaba’s with Kyoutani, Iwaizumi bringing him back to his car, Iwaizumi taking him up to his apartment and tucking him in.

Oikawa felt his face flush at the memory, heat pooling in his stomach. He was so embarrassed but also incredibly touched that his neighbour would do all of that for him.

He spent a good few minutes rolling around in bed with that giddy feeling consuming all of his thoughts until Aki had enough of Oikawa shifting in the bed and demanded that he wake up.

When he spotted a glass of water and pain relievers on his nightstand, suddenly, his hangover didn’t feel so bad. He pulled out his phone, took a quick picture and thanked Iwaizumi for everything he had done then headed off to the bathroom before making breakfast for both himself and Aki.

It was only when Oikawa sat down with a bowl of rice and grilled fish, downing his miso soup did he remember  _exactly_  what he had said to Iwaizumi before the man had left his apartment last night.

He choked on the liquid, coughing a few times to get the miso soup out of his lungs all the while Aki barked loudly at Oikawa’s distress.

_Shit_.

Oikawa had invited Iwaizumi to stay.

In his bed.

_With_  him.

He had never wished for the ground to open up and swallow him whole more than he did in that moment.

After panicking for a few minutes, debating whether he should call Kuroo and tell him about what happened, Oikawa picked himself up and promptly tried to wipe that embarrassing memory from his mind.

Unfortunately, it was all he could think about ever since he had come to the realization. It took sending a picture of himself to Iwaizumi for Oikawa to have something  _else_  to focus on.

The logic was flawed and he knew that if Iwaizumi felt awkward about last night then the selfie wasn’t going to do Oikawa any good but it was a way to calm himself down and it was working so who was he to question it?  

Oikawa wasn’t given the chance to worry about Iwaizumi and what he thought of him even if wanted to with his sister and Takeru dropping by unannounced. It wasn’t strange for them to come over on the weekends and Oikawa felt relieved by their company.

His day was made busier when he heard two men arguing out in the hallway. Usually, Oikawa would have ignored the bickering but hearing Iwaizumi’s name haf piqued his interest. He learned that the names of the men standing in front of Iwaizumi’s door were Hanamaki and Matsukawa and that they were Iwaizumi’s friends from Miyagi.

Apparently, they were there to deliver his belongings and had hoped to surprise him a few days early but hadn’t planned on him being at work.

Oikawa’s suggestion that they contact the landlord apparently worked because the next thing he knew, he was helping Hanamaki and Matsukawa set up Iwaizumi’s apartment.

The day passed by quickly, until it was past midnight and Iwaizumi wasn’t home and he hadn’t responded to Oikawa’s message yet, which made the minutes start to tick by slowly. Iwaizumi was usually pretty good about responding to his texts—the longest Oikawa had to wait was nine hours, which the amount of time it took Iwaizumi between the start of his shift and the end.

It wasn’t like his neighbour kept him up to date on his work life and they were just starting to become friends so it wasn’t like he was  _obligated_ to either. There could have been tons of reasons for why Iwaizumi hadn’t responded to Oikawa. Yet that didn’t stop Oikawa from worrying.

The fact that Iwaizumi could have been avoiding Oikawa aside, what if something had happened?

He was grateful for Hanamaki and Matsukawa’s conversation throughout the evening, but he was still distracted up until the moment Iwaizumi came home. Oikawa wasn’t sure he was capable of worrying about someone he hadn’t met long ago  _this much_  but the fact that he was concerned about Iwaizumi made him realize just how much he liked the other man.

Oikawa just wished Aki was as forthcoming with his love towards Iwaizumi.

For a panicked moment, Oikawa thought that Iwaizumi was going to ignore him after what happened last night but when he didn’t, Oikawa couldn’t explain the rush of relief that washed through him. He felt like he was floating and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from smiling like an idiot.

It was nice seeing Iwaizumi so relaxed; it was even nicer to get to witness him in his natural habitat with people he had known for a long time. The easy banter between the three friends and the familiarity with which they spoke reminded Oikawa of talking to his own friends and he found comfort in the sight.

But the moment Iwaizumi asked if Oikawa was worried about him and Oikawa had let slip his honesty he felt embarrassed. Aside from the fact that it was 1 am and a good reason to excuse himself, Oikawa wasn’t sure he would be able to stop himself from digging himself into a deeper hole.

At least Iwaizumi didn’t seem annoyed with him. Oikawa concluded that his neighbour just must have been busy – he did look tired after all – and so he fell asleep that night satisfied with how the day had gone even with his minimal interaction with Iwaizumi.

* * *

The elevator doors had barely opened when Oikawa heard familiar voices out in the hallway. He had just come back from his morning run with Aki, although he had given both himself and his dog the chance to sleep in a little considering their late night yesterday.

Even though Oikawa had dropped Aki back at his apartment after 11 pm, giving the dog the chance to fall asleep in his bed while he stayed with Hanamaki and Matsukawa, Aki hadn’t gone to bed until Oikawa was home. Oikawa couldn’t tell if he actually missed him or if he was just being stubborn considering they had both been in Iwaizumi’s apartment together not too long ago.

It was both a relief and completely unsurprising when Aki had immediately taken to Iwaizumi’s friends. At this point, the only person Aki was going to  _dislike_  was Iwaizumi. Oikawa sometimes wished his dog would go back to his slightly abrasive personality before he had met Iwaizumi if only he’d just  _like_  their neighbour.

There was nothing wrong with Iwaizumi, yet Aki was hell bent on turning his nose towards the man.

“He’s not here. Can we stop standing outside his door like stalkers? I texted him and he’ll reply when he’s not busy,” Iwaizumi scowled.

“Who’s not home?” Oikawa grinned.

His smile grew wider when he noticed Iwaizumi flush, his eyes rounding slightly before he composed himself.

“You,” Matsukawa offered, as if Oikawa hadn’t just heard them talking. He bent down on one knee when Oikawa and Aki got closer, ruffling Aki’s head affectionately. “Look at this handsome boy,” he crooned, laughing when Aki wagged his tongue in response, clearly loving the attention and the praise.

“Why were you looking for me?” he asked, allowing Matsukawa to distract Aki.

“Well it’s a Sunday, we’re here until tomorrow night and Iwaizumi is the worst tour guide. We were hoping if you were free you could give us the Tokyo highlights. You know, considering you’re pretty famous around here,” Hanamaki asked. “Ow—what the fuck, Iwaizumi?” he glared at Iwaizumi who had just elbowed him, hard.

Oikawa smiled knowingly. “You know who I am,” he stated.

“Eh, it’s pretty hard to miss your face around here,” Hanamaki shrugged.

“Clearly Iwa-chan did,” Oikawa teased. “I’m kidding,” he added, noticing the small crease between Iwaizumi’s eyebrows. It was cute and Oikawa couldn’t handle that level of adorableness in front of so many people. “So, did you figure it out on your own or did someone tell you?” he asked his neighbour.

Iwaizumi rubbed at his neck sheepishly and that was as obvious of an answer as any. “Bokuto told me when he saw your picture on my phone,” Iwaizumi admitted. “And, uh, Makki confirmed it yesterday,” he added.

“Oh yeah, we were at a party together once,” Oikawa hummed, thinking back to that night he had met Bokuto.

The first time Iwaizumi showed him a photo of his partner, Oikawa had been hit with a nagging feeling that he had seen the man before. His salt and pepper hair was natural but it was difficult to forget. Later on, Oikawa had realized that he was one of Kyoutani’s friends. He had felt bad keeping it a secret from Iwaizumi but technically, he didn’t know Bokuto so it wasn’t a lie—or so he had convinced himself.

“Dammit Oikawa, why couldn’t you have just  _told_  me?” Iwaizumi sighed.

For a moment, Oikawa thought that Iwaizumi was genuinely annoyed, but the lack of bite behind his words soothed Oikawa’ worries.

“The better question is, why do you have pictures of me on your phone?” Oikawa asked, smirking slightly as Iwaizumi visibly coloured.

That was unfair of him to ask. He was very well aware of why Iwaizumi had photos of Oikawa on his phone – Oikawa was the one who had sent them to him after all – but he couldn’t deny that the sight of Iwaizumi embarrassed was endearing.

“You already know the answer to that,” Iwaizumi rolled his eyes.

“Can you save the flirting for when you’re alone? Come on people, we’re wasting our precious time here,” Hanamaki interrupted.

“We weren’t  _flirting_!” Iwaizumi snapped.

Oikawa ducked his head in amusement as Iwaizumi’s ears burned red. Was it weird that he wanted to trace the shell with his fingers to feel how warm they were and then maybe his tongue? Oikawa quickly stored the inappropriate thought away.

He cleared his throat. “Let me shower, feed Aki and change. Then we can head out. You guys don’t mind if I bring him along, right?” Oikawa asked.

“You could bring him instead of Iwaizumi and I’d be perfectly fine with that. In fact, he’s better looking don’t you think?” Matsukawa quipped, earning himself a slap to the back of his head.

“Eh? I think Aki and Iwa-chan are both handsome in their own ways,” Oikawa said honestly.

Iwaizumi stopped mid-scowl and looked at Oikawa like he didn’t believe what Oikawa had just said. Frankly, Oikawa couldn’t just believe what he had said either. But Iwaizumi didn’t argue with him or ask him to repeat the statement. He brushed it off, which was both a blessing and a curse because did Iwaizumi just not want compliments from him?

Before Oikawa could beat himself up about the slip of tongue, Hanamaki stepped in. “Well, we won’t intrude. Let us know when you’re ready.”

“Sure,” Oikawa smiled.

He waited for them to return to Iwaizumi’s apartment before bringing Aki back into his. His dog didn’t seem to mind being around Iwaizumi as long as his friends were there. Apparently he just didn’t like it when it was  _only_  Oikawa was with Iwaizumi and not paying Aki the most amount of attention he normally would.

Oikawa smiled fondly at Aki, setting up his bowl and including a treat for being generally well behaved around Iwaizumi before he headed off for a shower.

When Oikawa was clean and dressed in a pair of beige shorts and a white, cotton button up with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he called Aki to the front door.

“Ready?” Oikawa asked when Iwaizumi opened his front door.

“Yeah, just give us a few seconds to put on our shoes,” Iwaizumi reassured.

Oikawa patiently waited by the elevator until Iwaizumi and his friends arrived. He was surprised that Iwaizumi had the day off but they hadn’t really hung out in a few days—not since last week when they had tried to take Aki to the park and ended up coming back to Oikawa’s to make dinner and watch a movie.

The change in plans had been fine by Oikawa’s standards and he had really enjoyed himself that day. He was excited just thinking about the fact that he was getting the chance to hang out with Iwaizumi again after a week.

“What do you guys want to do? The big city stuff or go to some of the quieter, lesser known areas?” Oikawa asked.

“Maybe something uniquely Tokyo since Matsushima has a lot of outdoor activities, anyway,” Matsukawa suggested, looking to Hanamaki for confirmation.

“I’m down. Lead the way, Oikawa-san,” he bowed deeply.

The sight was both amusing and flustering, which Hanamaki seemed to know very well. It was only when Iwaizumi told him to knock it off did Hanamaki straighten his back, apologizing to Oikawa.

He took them to Takeshita Street first, taking a shortcut through Yoyogi to bribe Aki for the likely tiring day ahead of them.

Oikawa loved the city. He missed Miyagi sometimes but that had to do with the memories more than anything else. Tokyo was lively and vibrant and full of people. He loved having something to do at all times. He especially loved how progressive it was compared to so many other places in Japan.

Tokyo really was his home and Oikawa grateful to be able to show Hanamaki and Matsukawa around. He was elated that they  _wanted_  to hang out with him. If Iwaizumi’s closest friends liked him then Iwaizumi was bound to spend more time with him, right?

Takeshita Street was busy as usual but none of the men in his company seemed to mind. Hanamaki was having the time of his life bouncing from store to store, marvelling at all the cool souvenirs there were. His eyes lit up even further when he noticed the excessive amount of sweets that were sold there, ranging from wacky to just plain out-of-this-world.

“If I had to choose one place to live, it would be this store,” Hanamaki claimed over a mouthful of crepe.

His was stuffed with strawberries, bananas, chocolate and insane amount of whipping cream.

“I wouldn’t make such a brave statement like that so soon. Wait till you try the ice cream surrounded by a mountain of cotton candy,” Oikawa chuckled.

“Mattsun,” Hanamaki groaned, “why didn’t we move here too? Let’s quit our jobs or better yet, take a transfer.”

Matsukawa, as Oikawa had learned, was a high school teacher. Hanamaki on the other hand was a businessman who worked in insurance. Thanks to Golden Week, they both had the entirety of the next week off, which was why they had extended their stay until Monday.

“Quit being so dramatic,” Matsukawa chuckled. “This is pretty good though,” he acknowledged, biting into his own chocolate brownie crepe.

The line had been long but he was glad that the wait had been worth it.

“You like yours?” Oikawa asked Iwaizumi who was oddly silent ever since they had started eating their desserts.

“What?” Iwaizumi asked.

“What’s wrong? You weren’t paying attention,” Oikawa pointed out.

“It’s fine—uh, you’ve got—there’s chocolate on your cheek,” Iwaizumi rushed out.

“ _Where_?” Oikawa demanded, grabbing for a napkin.

How embarrassing. Why hadn’t anyone pointed it out to him sooner? Oikawa’s already heated face felt warmer when he saw Iwaizumi swipe his own napkin across his cheek, wiping the chocolate away.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” Iwaizumi apologized, pulling his hand back quickly.

Oikawa didn’t know what possessed him to reach for that same spot Iwaizumi’s hand had been, mouth slightly open in shock. The table was silent, waiting for a reaction from him but that only made Oikawa lose his bearing further.

He was eventually snapped out of his stupor by Aki’s head rubbing against his legs, a small whine escaping him every time his nose brushed the side of Oikawa's thigh.

“Don’t look so sad, you know you’re not allowed to have chocolate,” Oikawa bent down, patting a hand across Aki’s back. “You’re lucky I always think of you though,” he smiled, pulling out a plain crepe.

He always felt bad when he ate desserts and Aki whined at him because he wanted to try too. It was difficult acting like the bad guy when he knew his dog wasn’t allowed to have certain foods

When Oikawa looked back up, Hanamaki and Matsukawa were staring at him while Iwaizumi had walked off to throw his dirty napkin into a trashcan.

“Are we seriously just going to ignore that?” Matsukawa asked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Oikawa brushed off, changing the subject to where they’d like to go next.

Sometimes, Iwaizumi would do things that made Oikawa think that maybe his neighbour did like him, but then he’d act as if it hadn’t happened, leaving Oikawa to wonder whether it had been an impulsive decision or maybe a mistake.

Oikawa had never taken a passive role in pursuing people he was romantically interested in before but with Iwaizumi, he had to consider the fact that they were neighbours, they had already established themselves as friends  _and_  Oikawa genuinely liked him as a person. Oikawa wasn’t sure he was ready to give all that up just yet.

Thankfully, there were no other instances that left Oikawa to wonder about Iwaizumi’s feelings for him for the rest of the day. Takeshi Street was an activity that could take up a full day all but having been given a day with Hanamaki and Matsukawa, he tried to fit in as many tourist activities as possible.

Hanamaki insisted that he wanted to walk through Ginza and as he and Matsukawa were the guests, Oikawa felt obliged. It was awkward when they passed by a store and Hanamaki handed Iwaizumi his phone to take a photo of him in one of the storefronts next to a poster of Oikawa.

Iwaizumi had pocketed Hanamaki’s phone, refusing to give it up with a, “Don’t be an asshole,” directed angrily at his friend.

“It’s fine, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa had smiled. “Let me show you my favourite poster,” he had turned to Hanamaki, leading him and Matsukawa away from Iwaizumi's glare.

Oikawa truly wasn’t bothered by it. Sure, it was embarrassing but he had signed up for a life in the spotlight when he had chosen to climb further in his career. He gently took the phone back from Iwaizumi and even indulged Hanamaki in a photo with what he referred to as the poster-Oikawa and the real-Oikawa.

When people started to notice him though, whispering about him through badly veiled subtlety, Iwaizumi put his foot down.

His friends hadn’t needed much convincing, if the guilty looks on their faces were anything to go by but Oikawa felt happy at the thought that Iwaizumi cared in this way. And the feeling continued for the rest of their day.

By the time the sun had set, they had walked part of the Rainbow Bridge, visited the shrine in the Hamarikyu Gardens and had dinner in Minato. It was late but there was one last thing that Oikawa wanted to show them and that was the sight of the Tokyo Tower lit up in all its glory against the night sky.

The crowds were always large right near the tower but the view was just as nice from Shiba Park.

It had been a long day but the calm of the lights from the Tokyo Tower that reflected against the trees in the park made Oikawa feel at ease. He could have fallen asleep right there, if it weren’t for the fact that he was remarkably aware of Iwaizumi’s thigh brushing against his whenever either of them shifted in their seat on the grass.

Somehow, they had found themselves sitting close and alone and Oikawa wasn’t going to be the one to pull away first.

Matsukawa had insisted he was okay to take Aki to the bathroom and Hanamaki had joined, leaving Iwaizumi and Oikawa together. Oikawa had a sinking feeling that Iwaizumi’s friends had done this on purpose, ever since their badgering about what Oikawa thought about Iwaizumi last night when they were alone in his apartment, but he couldn’t exactly blame them for being so encouraging.

They had found their mark when they told Oikawa that he should probably ask Iwaizumi out if he liked him, but Oikawa had been so embarrassed at being found out like that in a matter of hours that he had ignored the question. Now, he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

“Is it weird?” Oikawa asked, breaking the silence between them, eyes looking anywhere but at Iwaizumi.

“Is what weird?” Iwaizumi replied.

“Being around me,” Oikawa admitted, pulling at the grass around his hip. “Now that you know what my profession is, do you think it’s weird?”

“Of course not. What gave you that impression?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Unless you’re a fan most people don’t look very highly at models. It’s not a permanent career and it’s pretty superficial. For someone who dedicates their life to protecting other people, I just thought you might not see me as much,” Oikawa confessed.

He knew it was wrong to make assumptions about Iwaizumi but part of him needed to hear Iwaizumi’s response just to soothe his own worries.

“Hey, don’t go around thinking you know what I’m thinking. I’d never judge a person for their career and frankly, I don’t think you have anything to be embarrassed by. Just because other people might not think highly of your career choice doesn’t take away from the fact that you work hard and you deserve your fame,” Iwaizumi promised.

Oikawa didn’t know how badly he needed to hear that until the words were flowing through his veins, relaxing every one of his muscles. He couldn’t help the relieved laugh that escaped him upon hearing Iwaizumi’s opinion.

“How would you know how hard I work?” Oikawa teased.

It was rhetorical question – something to lighten the atmosphere – so when Iwaizumi answered seriously Oikawa was left shocked.

“I may have looked you up,” Iwaizumi huffed a dry laugh.

“You  _what_?” Oikawa laughed.

“You’re the one who kept telling me to,” Iwaizumi defended, getting worked up.

“I’m not mad,” Oikawa reassured, picking up on Iwaizumi’s panicked tone. “I just thought you’d, you know,  _tell me_  when you did,” he shrugged.

Iwaizumi turned his head so he was watching Oikawa intently, lights in the background forgotten. Oikawa was sure there were people walking by, noises being made but in that moment he couldn’t really focus on anything but Iwaizumi’s gaze boring into his own. His eyes looked like they wanted to say so much, dark green under normal circumstances but almost black now against the inky sky.

“I wasn’t sure if you had been serious and I felt like I was invading your privacy. I’m sorry, Oikawa,” Iwaizumi apologized sincerely.

“You—you have nothing to apologize for,” he insisted. “I’ll be honest, part of me was afraid to tell you and so I should be the one apologizing for making assumptions about your character.”

The firm way Iwaizumi clenched his jaw would have made Oikawa believe that the other man was angry with him had this been the first time Oikawa witnessed his fierceness. But it was the same, determined look he had on when Aki had circled a tree so many times that Iwaizumi had to physically budge him to unravel the leash just last week.

To have that kind of focus directed at him was encompassing and Oikawa had never felt this kind of pressurizing warmth.

“At least now I know why people kept staring at you the last time we were out together,” Iwaizumi chuckled, brushing the back of his hand against Oikawa’s.

Oikawa wasn’t sure if that was meant to be intentional or not but when he hesitantly linked the tips of his fingers with Iwaizumi’s and Iwaizumi pulled them closer into his grip, Oikawa knew the answer to his question.

“Say, Iwa-chan, you said you looked me up, right?” Oikawa asked.

“Hmm.”

“Pictures too?” Oikawa pressed.

“What’s your point?” Iwaizumi asked, eyebrows furrowed.

“Did you see the one where I was modelling underwear?” Oikawa grinned, feeling satisfied at the way Iwaizumi’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Did you  _ogle_?” he continued, feeling a burst of confidence.

“Jesus, Oikawa, you can’t just ask someone that,” Iwaizumi huffed.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Oikawa reminded.

“What is with you and asking questions you already know the answers to?” Iwaizumi groaned.

Despite his embarrassment he didn’t pull his hand away from Oikawa’s. Only when Hanamaki and Matsukawa returned and Aki wedged himself between Iwaizumi and Oikawa did they unlink their hands and honestly, Oikawa wasn’t even displeased with that given the atmosphere.

He liked Iwaizumi and he was pretty certain Iwaizumi returned his feelings. As they spent the rest of their evening chatting, laughing and playing with Aki, Oikawa found his eyes flitting to Iwaizumi’s almost naturally and every single time, Iwaizumi’s gaze was already trained on his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi definitely looks those pics up again when he gets home lbr ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> next time:  
> \- Iwaizumi and Bokuto finally get off desk duty  
> \- Oikawa's in a sour mood, his friends try to cheer him up, but Iwa-chan saves the day
> 
> thanks for reading! feedback keeps me motivated so I'd love it if you could drop a comment/kudos! ♡
> 
> come follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/) !


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you everyone who has supported this fic so far with kudos, comments, bookmarks, subscriptions <3 you're all very wonderful and I greatly appreciate your support!

“Did you ask him out?” Bokuto asked Iwaizumi.

It was the first day this month that they had been replaced from desk duty and given a squad car instead. Iwaizumi had never felt so elated to be sitting in a confined space with the crackling of the radio and Bokuto’s persistent interrogation for company.

“Not exactly,” Iwaizumi admitted, fiddling with the radio.

The streets were busy in the evening commute home but now that it was nearing 8 pm, Bokuto had pulled up to the curb of a park, giving them a chance to relax while still being in their patrol zone.

All day, his partner had led conversation about his weekend, not asking any particulars about Oikawa. Iwaizumi had just assumed that Bokuto had forgotten but clearly he was just waiting for the right time. With nothing pressing taking a hold of their attention, Bokuto was all ears and Iwaizumi was stuck with no way out but to answer truthfully.

“You either did, or you didn’t,” Bokuto chuckled. “I take it you didn’t?”

“I was going to, I swear, but then Makki and Mattsun interrupted,” Iwaizumi sighed. “Honestly, that was fine too because they purposely sat a little ways off but I swear to god, Oikawa’s dog is a cockblock on purpose,” he groaned.

It was ridiculous to blame Aki but Iwaizumi was absolutely convinced that the Akita had a plan up his sleeve—or paw. He was too intelligent for Iwaizumi to believe that every time he conveniently pulled Oikawa’s attention from him was a coincidence.

How was he supposed to blame a  _dog_  though? He liked dogs and he liked Aki, despite the dog’s ability to drive Iwaizumi up a wall, so it was frustrating that he wouldn’t just  _let_  Iwaizumi show him he was willing to give him some affection.

He couldn’t believe he was vying for Oikawa’s attention in a battle against a fucking dog.

“Come on, he can’t be that bad,” Bokuto laughed.

“Sure,” he snorted. “You’d change your mind if you saw the way he acted around me. At least he’s stopped barking. I guess that’s a plus, but now I just get dirty looks.”

Bokuto laughed, face splitting in amusement at Iwaizumi’s expense. “You’re being ridiculous. And I’d be down for that. In fact, I want to meet Oikawa and this dog you talk about so much.”

“You’ve already met Oikawa.”

“I met Oikawa Tooru the model, not Oikawa Tooru your boyfriend,” Bokuto said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

“But he’s not my boyfriend,” Iwaizumi frowned.

“Not with that attitude he isn’t. Get a move on, will you? I’m sure that’s what your friends from back home told you too.” Bokuto grinned as Iwaizumi’s face sunk into a scowl, “That  _is_  what they told you too, isn’t it?” he laughed brightly.

Iwaizumi wasn’t aware that his love life, or lack thereof, was such a popular topic. Either his friends really cared about him or their lives were just too boring. He would have liked to believe the former but the latter was easier to brush off.

He thought back to the conversation he had with Hanamaki and Matsukawa before they had left yesterday afternoon. It was only when their bags were packed and they were about to head out did Matsukawa point out that he and Hanamaki hadn’t said anything the night before but that they  _had_  seen him and Oikawa holding hands.

Iwaizumi would have been lying if he hadn’t thought about that himself. Oikawa hadn’t opposed to Iwaizumi brushing the backs of their hands together; in fact, he had shyly reached for Iwaizumi’s to tighten the grip. He hadn’t known what to do for a moment except that it was probably a good opportunity to ask Oikawa out until Oikawa changed topics and left Iwaizumi frazzled.

It was only when Hanamaki and Matsukawa had returned, Aki’s ear brushing Iwaizumi’s leg whenever he shifted his position in Oikawa’s lap that Iwaizumi realized he had forgot what he had wanted to do the most.

“Excuse me, sir.”

Iwaizumi turned his head towards the window where a woman had appeared. He stepped out of the car, Bokuto following suite.

“Is there something we can help you with?” he asked, catching sight of the distraught look on the woman’s face.

“I lost my son,” she said honestly. “I brought him out to the park because he insisted on playing with the dog out here. I walked maybe fifteen metres to get the ball that rolled away and when I turned around he was gone. I know I’m supposed to wait to file an official report but I don’t think he would have gone far.  _Please_ , will you help me look for him?” she begged.

It was days like this that made Iwaizumi realize just why he had become a police officer. He looked to Bokuto who was as dismayed as the woman although trying not to show his emotions on his face. It wasn’t like they were particularly busy, anyway.

“Let us call it in and we’ll look for him,” Bokuto promised.

Iwaizumi was grateful that they were on the same page. The woman looked even more relieved, although the fact that her son was still missing kept her happiness short.

While Bokuto informed dispatch of their current situation, Iwaizumi got the woman’s name, contact information and information on her son. She had mentioned that they had a dog, which Iwaizumi couldn’t see so he could only assume both the pet and owner were missing. Hopefully, they were together.

“We’ll canvas the area and meet back here in thirty minutes. The park isn’t too big but there are lots of hiding spots. We’ll call you if we find anything,” Bokuto promised. “I’ve requested another team to keep you company.”

“Thank you,” she said gratefully, holding back tears.

Iwaizumi hated missing children. More often than not, the kids would run away for fun. The woman’s son was eight, an age where kids thought they were at the top of the world and could do anything. But then there were the times when kids  _actually_  had been abducted. Iwaizumi hoped this wasn’t the case.

He waited with the woman, asking her questions that prompted her to tell stories about her son in an attempt to distract her. When Kyoutani and Terushima arrived, he introduced the woman to them, promised her she’d be in good hands and walked in the opposite direction Bokuto had gone to cover more ground.

The sun hadn’t set quite yet but it was nearing that point, the light dipping below the horizon with every passing second. Finding anyone was difficult in the dark but finding a nine-year old boy would be probably prove to be even more difficult. Iwaizumi hated to put a time limit on their search but they really did have the next thirty minutes to do their best work, while the sun was still out.

Showa Memorial Park was decently sized but there weren’t too many places to hide. Still, their best bet was in the flower garden.

Iwaizumi had asked the young mother to send him a picture of her son. Unfortunately, every time Iwaizumi asked a passer by if they had seen the young boy in the picture they shook their head, glancing nervously upon noticing the uniform Iwaizumi was wearing.

“Excuse me,” Iwaizumi stopped a couple as they were headed to the exit. He had already reached the farthest end of the park. “Have you seen this boy?” he asked, showing them his phone.

“No, sorry—” the man started, then, “hey, wait a minute, we did hear what sounded like a kid shouting a name back there, right? Near the tulip garden?” he asked his girlfriend.

The woman nodded her head in confirmation, eyebrows furrowed pensively. “I think he was saying something like ‘ _Rin-chan_.’”

“How long ago?” Iwaizumi pressed.

“Uh, maybe five minutes ago? I honestly thought he was just playing hide and seek. We never saw his face, sorry,” the woman apologized.

“No, that’s plenty helpful. Thank you,” he bowed, heading off in the direction the couple had pointed him towards.

When he neared the tulip garden Iwaizumi couldn’t hear any shouting. He did however hear quiet sniffling, which caught his attention.

“Kaito?” Iwaizumi asked hesitantly. The sniffling stilled immediately “Hey, Kaito, if you’re there I want you to know that I’m not going to hurt you. Your mother’s been looking for you and she’d really like it if you went back to her,” Iwaizumi said softly.

He didn’t think his words had made an effect for a few moments until a head popped out from behind the garden, eyes puffy and face a little scared.

“You know my mum?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi nodded. “Do you mind if I call her and tell you’re okay? You can talk to her if you want,” Iwaizumi took out his phone to show the boy.

He shook his head fiercely. “ _No_.”

There were a few reasons Iwaizumi could think of that would push the young boy to run away and hide from his mother. But the concern he had seen on the woman’s face and the way Kaito had perked up slightly at the mention of his mother looking for him only to be replaced by a bout of fear natural for kids who thought they did something wrong gave Iwaizumi the impression that there was really only one reason this time around.

“Are you afraid you’re going to get in trouble?” Iwaizumi asked.

“I’m not  _afraid_ ,” Kaito huffed.

“Of course you’re not,” Iwaizumi agreed immediately. “After all, you’ve been sitting out here by yourself for a while now, huh? You’re pretty brave to be out on your own.”

“I wasn’t  _alone_. Rin-chan was with me but he ran off and I can’t find him,” he wailed, eyes tearing up once again.

“Hey, come on, do you think your mum’s not going to want to see you because Rin-chan ran off? She’s your mother; she won’t care as long as you’re safe,” Iwaizumi promised.

“Really?” Kaito asked, looking like he wanted to believe Iwaizumi but not quite convinced by his words yet.

“Yeah, really. If you let me call her we can ask and I’ll prove to you I’m right,” he insisted.

“And what if you’re wrong?” Kaito challenged.

Iwaizumi bit the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing. “I’ll give you my badge if I’m wrong,” he promised, pulling it out of his pocket.

Kaito’s eyes lit up at the sight, thinking over the proposition. “Okay, you can call her,” he agreed.

When the young boy was finished talking to his mother, wiping at his eyes and cheeks to get rid of the tears that were streaming down his face, he looked a lot happier albeit still preoccupied with his missing dog.

“Don’t look so sad. We’ll find Rin-chan too,” Iwaizumi reached above him to ruffle Kaito’s hair softly.

On their way back to the squad car where Iwaizumi and Bokuto had left Kaito’s mother with Kyoutani and Terushima, Iwaizumi had noticed that the boy was limping. Upon further inspection, he noted that Kaito’s ankle was swollen and he must have sprained it in his frantic rush to find his dog. He didn’t want Kaito to walk on his already swollen foot so he had asked if it was okay to carry him. To his surprise and relief, Kaito insisted it was okay  _only_  if Iwaizumi gave him a piggy back ride because he wasn’t young enough to be carried any other way.

He sort of reminded Iwaizumi of Oikawa with his quick answers and ability to charm people. Iwaizumi wondered if Oikawa had been like this as a kid too.

“You don’t know that,” Kaito pouted. “Last week Ami-chan brought her dog to the park and she lost it. She still hasn’t found him yet.”

“Who’s Ami-chan?” Iwaizumi asked, hoping to direct the conversation somewhere else.

The missing dog wasn’t something he could do about now but it  _was_  odd the number of missing dog cases there were lately. Bokuto had said it wasn’t a big deal but Iwaizumi wasn’t so sure about that. They all happened to be big dogs that were going missing too but different breeds so Iwaizumi was having a difficult time making a connection.

Maybe he was grasping for something that just didn’t exist though. Still, he had a nagging feeling about it so he made a mental note to dig into it the next time he had some free time.

“She’s my girlfriend,” Kaito stated proudly.

“Whoa, girlfriend? You must be popular,” Iwaizumi chuckled.

“It’s because I play lots of sports. My dad says girls  _always_  like the guys who play sports,” Kaito informed.

Iwaizumi shook his head in amusement, agreeing with Kaito’s observation. They kept up conversation until they reached his mother where Iwaizumi gently let him down onto the ground.

“I think he sprained his ankle. We can give you an icepack for now but you’ll probably want to take him to the hospital to get it checked out and make sure it’s not broken,” Iwaizumi informed the woman who was busy fussing over Kaito, crying as she wrapped him in a tight hug.

“Thank you, Iwaizumi-san,” she said sincerely, eyes welling up in fresh tears. “You too, Bokuto-san, Kyoutani-san and Terushima-san,” she faced to the others in turn, bowing as she thanked them.

“We’re just glad Kaito’s okay,” Bokuto said quickly, embarrassed by the display. “Take care, little man. We’ll be sure to file the report for your dog when we get back so don’t worry too much,” Bokuto promised.

“Make sure you rest your ankle so it can heal up and you can get back to playing sports,” Iwaizumi waved. “Your girlfriend might not be so happy if you can’t,” he chuckled.

“ _Girlfriend_?” Kaito’s mother asked, lips pursed into a thin line. But her eyes gave away her amusement as she helped her son limp to a bench.

Bokuto had asked if they wanted a ride back to their home but the woman had insisted her husband had just gotten off work and would be able to pick them up. It was only when the mother and the young boy got into a car did Iwaizumi relax.

“Hell of a way to start off on the streets, huh?” Terushima asked, patting Iwaizumi’s back supportively.

“Could have been worse,” Iwaizumi grimaced. “We could have not found him at all.”

The way the faces of the three officers around him fell was an indication that they had all been thinking the same thing.

“Well, no use thinking about what didn’t happen,” Bokuto said, cheering up. “We’ve got maybe an hour left till we can clock out. Wanna head to Drunkards Alley and break up some bar fights?” Bokuto grinned.

“I don’t know why you think that’s so fun,” Kyoutani shook his head.

“I wasn’t talking to you,  _Kyouken-chan_ ,” Bokuto grinned.

“What the fuck, Iwaizumi, you  _told him_?” Kyoutani shouted, miffed that Iwaizumi would betray him like that.

To be fair, Iwaizumi hadn’t realized the nickname was such a secret. He had just been shocked to hear Yahaba’s friends call him something so  _cute_. He honestly thought that Bokuto already knew about it but that was his bad for exposing Kyoutani’s uncharacteristically adorable nickname.

“Oh my god, this is brilliant,” Terushima howled loudly. “ _Kyouken-chan_ ,” he repeated, wiping at his eyes as happy tears threatened to spill out.

“Shut the fuck up, jackass,” Kyoutani barked.

“This is officer Kyouken-chan,” Terushima said, ignoring Kyoutani’s glare. “Office Kyouken-chan reporting for duty. Officer Kyouken-chan at your service.  _Kyouken_ —mother _fucker_ ,” Terushima yelped clutching at his stomach, doubled over in pain.

Kyoutani glared at Bokuto and Iwaizumi, daring them to say anything about his display.

Bokuto threw his hands up in surrender. “Later,” he saluted, quickly getting into the driver’s seat of their squad car.

It was only when they had driven a safe distance away from Kyoutani, stopped at a red light as they waited for pedestrians to cross in front of them did Bokuto and Iwaizumi burst into loud laughter.

“I’m never going to forget that name,” Bokuto chuckled.

“Me neither,” Iwaizumi admitted, shielding his face in his hand.

Being back out on the street was always an experience. It wasn’t always good but today hadn’t been the worst. It was better than being stuck behind a desk, after all, and Iwaizumi hoped that today wasn’t just a temporary assignment.

***

“Are you and Mr. Brooding dating yet?” Yahaba asked, popping a chip into his mouth.

He was seated on the couch in Oikawa’s apartment, Akaashi to his left and Tsukishima to his right. Oikawa had taken the armchair to the right, Aki cuddled comfortable in his lap, a movie playing in the background.

While their work hours weren’t the most normal, Golden Week was the chance for them to relax and enjoy the time off like everyone else.

Or most people, at least. Oikawa was reminded that Kuroo was in Nagoya for the week, signing a deal with a new brand and Oikawa’s own agent had signed him up for an audition tomorrow since Golden Week had been the only time they were available. At least, that’s what they claimed. Oikawa had an inkling that they were just looking to see how far his commitment would go.

Oikawa also couldn’t help but think about Iwaizumi who was still at work and would be for the entire week. He had wanted to ask him if they could do something together, maybe see if the idle hand holding had been a mistake or if Iwaizumi really did like him but Oikawa hadn’t gotten the chance to bring something up yet.

“Quit calling him that,” Oikawa scowled.

“Okay, Iwa-chan then,” Tsukishima supplied drolly.

“That one is definitely off-limits,” Oikawa snapped.

“Why, because that’s what you’re going to call him in bed?” Tsukishima quipped.

For someone who claimed he was uninterested in his friends’ boring lives and petty gossip, he was quite willing to turn the gears.

Oikawa rolled his eyes, ignoring Tsukishima’s comment. He hadn’t thought about calling Iwaizumi ‘Iwa-chan’ in bed although he  _had_  thought about sleeping with him. Oikawa couldn’t help that he found his neighbour so attractive. Knowing that he had a personality to match just made the times they talked to one another more excruciating.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Yahaba reminded.

“Well, we’re not,” Oikawa said, tone clipped.

“Yikes, no need to get so defensive,” Akaashi chuckled. “Why haven’t you just asked him out?” he asked.

Oikawa didn’t have a good answer to that. At first, he had convinced himself it was because he hadn’t told Iwaizumi what his job was and the longer he held out, the more he was certain that Iwaizumi was going to think poorly of him for his career choice. It had been a joke at the start when Oikawa was just a little shocked but also pleased that Iwaizumi hadn’t recognized him. Then Oikawa had started to worry.

Sunday night, Iwaizumi had been able to put that to rest.

Now, Oikawa kept thinking about how if Iwaizumi  _was_  interested in him then he would have asked him out. After all, he had been the one to properly hold Oikawa’s hand even if Oikawa was the one to tug their fingers together.

He felt like a high schooler with their first crush. Oikawa had never been so unassertive about pursuing a relationship before.

“I don’t know. Why hasn’t he asked me out yet?” Oikawa retorted childishly.

“Fine, don’t be serious about it,” Akaashi rolled his eyes, dropping the subject.

Oikawa curled into the couch, nuzzling his face into Aki’s fur. He had just groomed his dog today, brushing him out and washing him from head to toe so he felt softer than usual. It was a good thing too, because Oikawa didn’t feel like lifting his head.

He was supposed to be entertaining his friends but he didn’t feel like a very good guest at the moment. He inadvertently felt like he was kicking them out when they decided to call it a night at 11 pm.

But they had known him long enough to know that he didn’t actually mean any of the harsh things he may have said. And Oikawa knew his friends hadn’t meant to be pushy or remind him of his failures on purpose either. At the end of the day, there were no hard feelings but that didn’t stop Oikawa from feeling guilty about it, anyway.

When he was left alone in his apartment, movie done and TV stuck on the HDMI setting, the static only served to remind Oikawa of his current situation.

Thinking back to the time he had been seeing a therapist, Oikawa was reminded of the advice the kind lady had always given him. He was in charge of his own happiness. Sure, material objects and compliments from people were good ways to get his happiness started but they were just scratching the surface.

So he picked up his phone, scrolled through his contacts for Iwaizumi and wrote up a message.

**To: Iwa-chan  
** [Subject: (No subject)]  
 _> > Are you home?_

**From: Iwa-chan  
** [Subject: (No subject)]  
 _> > Yeah, I just got in a few minutes ago_

**To: Iwa-chan  
** [Subject: (No subject)]  
 _> > Oh, I’ll leave you to relax then_

**From: Iwa-chan  
** [Subject: (No subject)]  
 _> > Talking to you is relaxing_

Oikawa wasn’t sure how Iwaizumi could say things that made his heart beat at a mile a minute with such ease.

**To: Iwa-chan  
** [Subject: (No subject)]  
 _> > Thanks Iwa-chan_

**From: Iwa-chan  
** [Subject: (No subject)]  
 _> > You okay?  
_ _> > You don’t sound very enthusiastic_

**To: Iwa-chan  
** [Subject: (No subject)]  
 _> > Mmm I guess_

Well, that was a bust. Iwaizumi had seen right through his mopey mood. Oikawa furrowed deeper into the couch, having moved to it with a blanket draped across his body after his friends had left.

When a few minutes passed by and Iwaizumi hadn’t responded to his text – not that Oikawa had given him much to go on – he decided that was it for the night. Maybe he’d try again tomorrow.

He was surprised when a knock at his door snapped him out of his comfy zone he had had cocooned himself in. Aki barked once at the sound and followed Oikawa to the door, tail wagging curiously.

Oikawa peered through the peephole and was hit with a sense of déjà vu when he saw Iwaizumi standing outside. He felt very much like he had that first time, heart fluttering and mind whirling with a dozen possibilities ranging from good to catastrophic.

“Iwa-chan,” Oikawa greeted, pulling open the door.

He plastered a smile on his face: one didn’t reach his eyes.

Iwaizumi was quick to notice. “What’s wrong?”

“You came to my door to ask that? You could have just texted me, you know,” Oikawa remarked.

“Are you going to let me in or should I go back?” Iwaizumi asked.

Oikawa contemplated telling Iwaizumi that he was tired and wasn’t feeling in the mood to socialize but he couldn’t deny the calming effect his neighbour had by just being there. He sighed, opening the door wider for Iwaizumi to step in.

Iwaizumi excused himself for intruding out of formality. He had a small glaring match with Aki who wouldn’t budge out of the way until Oikawa tapped his back, urging him to return to the couch where they had just been.

It was amusing to see Iwaizumi argue with a dog but it was sweet somehow too. Oikawa felt the edge of lips twitch up into a smile.

“Have you eaten dinner yet?” Oikawa asked, nodding his head to the kitchen.

There wasn’t a real dinner there but there were some snacks left over from when his friends had been around.

“You don’t have to host me, Oikawa. I came over to see how you were,” Iwaizumi insisted.

“Well, I guess if you don’t want any onigiri I’ll just give it to Aki,” Oikawa shrugged, raising an eyebrow for Iwaizumi to stake his last minute claim.

“I swear, sometimes it feels like you just want your dog to hate me more,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “All right,” he admitted, following Oikawa into the kitchen. Aki wasn’t far behind, eyes narrowed at Iwaizumi in suspicion. “What did I tell you?” Iwaizumi said, jerking a thumb to Aki.

Oikawa chuckled, leaning down to pet Aki’s head a few times. “You’re hurting his feelings,” he joked, reaching for the pantry to take out a box of treats for Aki.

“And you’re enforcing his possessiveness,” Iwaizumi balked.

Aki beamed proudly at Iwaizumi’s stupor, nudging his head against Oikawa’s legs affectionately. It felt kind of good to have both Iwaizumi and Aki vying for his attention.

“What would you like? Umeboshi, ikura or konbu?” Oikawa asked, washing his hands after handing Aki his treat.

“Doesn’t matter,” Iwaizumi shrugged.

“Well you’re going to have to pick when you put the filling in,” Oikawa rolled his eyes.

Iwaizumi chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. Oikawa tried not to look at the way his biceps flexed, turning his head down to his hands as he dried them instead.

“You’re going to make me make my own onigiri?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Geez, Iwa-chan, you’re so ungrateful,” Oikawa teased. “I offer you food and you complain about it not already being prepared. What happened to you insisting I don’t have to host, huh?”

“What happened to the quiet Oikawa who first opened the door?” Iwaizumi quipped. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that,” he said quickly, face falling as he realized his joke may have gone too far.

“No, it’s okay,” Oikawa waved off, pulling out the various fillings and the bowl of rice.

He led them to the dining table with Iwaizumi and Aki padding after him. Usually at this time, Aki wouldn’t even think about getting up off the couch; he would have been close to falling asleep and waiting for Oikawa to bring him into the bedroom. The only reason he was so active right now was because Iwaizumi was here.

“Oikawa,” Iwaizumi said softly, “do you want to talk about it?”

“Hmm, not really,” he shrugged. “Tell me about your day,” he offered Iwaizumi a small smile, asking him for a distraction in not as many words.

Iwaizumi must have gotten the hint because he recalled the incident with the boy in the park and how he had lost his dog. Oikawa couldn’t imagine what losing Aki would be like and his heart broke for the boy although he was glad that the kid was all right.

They built onigiri with the remaining filling and rice, Oikawa giving the leftover rice to Aki when the filling had all been used up, as Iwaizumi continued to tell Oikawa about the small things that happened during his day, giving Oikawa something to focus on other than his own thoughts.

By the time Iwaizumi got to the part at the end of his day where an old, drunk man tried to rob Bokuto in Drunkard’s Alley, Oikawa was feeling much happier.

“Are you feeling better?” Iwaizumi asked, noticing that the smile on Oikawa’s face was genuine this time.

“Hmm,” Oikawa agreed with a nod. “Much.”

He stacked their used plates aside on the coffee table and pulled his knees up to his chest, letting the back of the sofa almost engulf him. Aki had miraculously fallen asleep to the feel of Oikawa’s hand rubbing rhythmically across his back even with Iwaizumi sitting right next to him. He must have been too tired to put on his act much longer.

The lights had been dimmed safe for the lamp, casting an orange glow across the room and their voices had mechanically taken on a soft, hushed tone as to not disturb the calm that had spread around them.

“I’m glad,” Iwaizumi stated. “I was worried I had done something,” he chuckled nervously.

Iwaizumi may have been the cause of Oikawa’s finicky mood but to blame him would be absurd. Oikawa cocked his head in Iwaizumi’s direction, trying to figure out just what the man might have meant by his statement.

“Say, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa hummed, “why were you worried about me?”

“Because we’re friends, Oikawa. Why wouldn’t I worry?” Iwaizumi returned the question seriously.

“Friends,” Oikawa turned the word over in his mouth. “Is that what we are?” he asked.

The question wasn’t meant to offend Iwaizumi; Oikawa was genuinely curious so he could pack up his hopes and move on if that’s what ended up being the case. What he hadn’t banked on was Iwaizumi’s face to drop in hurt and the guilt to immediately start clawing at him.

“I’m sorry, that was unfair,” Oikawa apologized, turning his eyes away.

“No, you’re right,” Iwaizumi admitted. “We’re friends, Oikawa, but…” he said hesitantly, “I want to be more if you do too.”

If it weren’t for Iwaizumi’s gaze boring into his, unwavering and resilient, Oikawa would have believed he misheard.

“I do,” Oikawa smiled shyly.

The grin he got in response made Oikawa’s heart beat against his chest.

“I want to kiss you,” Iwaizumi said honestly.

Iwaizumi was offering Oikawa the chance to decline, to change his statement but that was the last thing Oikawa wanted. Oikawa extended his hands, placed his palms on both sides of Iwaizumi’s face and tugged his head gently to meet Oikawa’s in response.

With Aki sleeping on Oikawa’s thigh, it was difficult for Iwaizumi to get close but Oikawa was still happy with the kiss. Iwaizumi more than made up for the space between them with his mouth, hot and passionate, leaving a trail of burning skin in its wake.

The first few kisses were gentle, exploratory, open-mouthed and warm but nothing further. When Oikawa tugged at Iwaizumi’s bottom lip, Iwaizumi had no qualms about deepening the kiss, tongue delving into Oikawa’s mouth to meet his.

Iwaizumi was giving and demanding at the same time, gentle and strong. It made Oikawa’s head spin and not just because of the lack of oxygen. He felt like he was being surrounded in  _Iwaizumi_  and the flavour was downright addicting.

When they pulled away, breathing heavy and faces flushed, Oikawa couldn’t help the disappointed look that crossed his face.

“Next time, we’ve got to make sure Aki’s not between us,” Iwaizumi chuckled, mirroring Oikawa’s frustration.

“Next time,” Oikawa promised, squeezing his eyes shut but the happiness was too much to contain.

“Fuck, Oikawa, I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” Iwaizumi laughed nervously.

That comment was enough for Oikawa to forgo worrying about waking Aki from his slumber, if only momentarily. He pulled Iwaizumi towards him again and crashed their lips together. For a moment Iwaizumi was confused but once he got a hold of his bearings he returned the kiss, leaving Oikawa at a loss for words again.

When they pulled apart and Oikawa still hadn’t had enough, Iwaizumi stood up on both knees, brushed his hand through Oikawa’s hair and peppered his cheek and jaw in wet kisses.

They were so immersed in one another that Oikawa wasn’t even aware of the tiny, satisfied noises he was letting out until he felt Aki stir against him. With Iwaizumi’s hands and mouth on him, it took Oikawa longer than it normally would have to realize what was happening.

By the time he had broken out of his haziness, Aki had lifted his head suddenly and Iwaizumi had pulled away, leaning back on the opposite side of the couch while he clutched the side of his jaw in pain, cursing under his breath.

“ _Oh my god_ ,” Oikawa breathed, immediately rushing to get off the couch. “Are you  _okay_?” Oikawa cried.

Without waiting for an answer, he rushed to the kitchen for an icepack, handing it to Iwaizumi who rubbed at his slowly bruising skin in silence. He allowed Oikawa to maneuver him in a leaning position against the armrest.

Oikawa felt terrible. He couldn’t even scold Aki because it was their fault for attempting to make out with a sleeping dog between them. And as much as Aki disliked Iwaizumi this really had been an accident.

The dog in question had leapt off the couch at the commotions and was staring up as Oikawa treated Iwaizumi, eyes round and face apologetic.

“I told you your dog’s trying to kill me,” Iwaizumi grunted, offering Oikawa a small smile to indicate that he had been joking.

But it was too much for his tender muscles and he quickly winced, lowering his expression into something more neutral.

Oikawa was torn between relief and distress. He settled for a disbelieving laugh, holding the icepack to Iwaizumi’s face for him. When he felt Iwaizumi’s hand clutch his, cold from the ice he had just been holding but so firm, Oikawa’s heart squeezed around itself in adoration.

“I really like you,” Oikawa confessed.

Iwaizumi blinked up at Oikawa a few times until the words registered. His smile felt like it was moving in slow motion or perhaps that was just Oikawa’s brain, stuck on trying to capture every bit of it and commit it to memory.

“I really like you too, Oikawa,” Iwaizumi said sincerely, sliding his free hand up Oikawa’s neck to cup his cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next time:   
> \- Kuroo's got his priorities straight  
> \- first date jitters + first date 
> 
> comments/kudos are much appreciated! ♡
> 
> come follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/) !


	10. Chapter 10

“Damn,” Bokuto winced, eyeing the purple patch of skin lining the side of Iwaizumi’s face with contempt, “what happened?”

“Aki,” Iwaizumi grunted.

Not only was his face sore but he was also starting a shift on a little less than four hours of sleep. At the time, showing up at Oikawa’s door sounded like such a good idea and in reality it  _had_  been because he was able to tell Oikawa how he felt.

But the moments following that hadn’t been the most well thought out. In retrospect, Iwaizumi should have waited; he knew it wasn’t a good idea to try and kiss Oikawa with his dog between them but Iwaizumi hadn’t been able to hold in his desire.

Oikawa had looked so  _good_. The warm lighting really suited him, making his already soft skin look like it was absolutely glowing. He looked like something out of a movie and when he told Iwaizumi that he liked him too, Iwaizumi couldn’t believe his ears.

He supposed that a bruised jaw was worth it though. At least he hadn’t dislocated it or managed to lock it with the force. It just looked unsightly, although Oikawa hadn’t been deterred by the patchy skin with the way he had run his fingers across the bruise and smiled fondly at Iwaizumi.

Iwaizumi hadn’t wanted to leave then and Oikawa hadn’t exactly been willing to kick him out. By the time Iwaizumi actually convinced himself to tear away from Oikawa, it was already 2 am.

With the painkillers Oikawa had given him to help with the pain, Iwaizumi had fallen into a deep sleep, but four hours was not enough to start a shift.  _Especially_  when he felt like shit.

His only saving grace was that he and Bokuto had been assigned to the front desk again. Iwaizumi couldn’t believe he was grateful for it, but he was going to accept the mercy from whatever higher power was out there.

“Damn, he really doesn’t like you huh?” Bokuto asked.

“Well, it wasn’t exactly his fault this time around,” Iwaizumi admitted, focusing on the computer screen in front of him.

Checking the inventory was boring but at least it gave him a reason to focus on his work instead of having to give in to Bokuto’s interrogation.

“What’s that supposed to mean? You know what, never mind. I don’t even want to know,” Bokuto laughed. “Just watch out, you’ll probably get called to the superintendent’s office to explain how you got that,” Bokuto warned. “He’s pretty strict on appearances.”

What was he going to say to the man? That he got smacked in the face by his neighbour’s dog because he had been making out with his neighbour while the dog was sleeping between them?

That was the most unbelievable story even if it  _was_  true. Besides that, it wasn’t exactly appropriate to recall to his superior.

Iwaizumi rubbed at his tired face. His shift had barely begun and he was already looking forward to its end.

Bokuto patted his back supportively, his words silent but his actions meaningful. Iwaizumi grunted a thanks in response, focusing on the blinding computer screen once again. Maybe if he had time he’d look up some of the most recent missing dog cases and try to connect the dots. At least he could  _attempt_  to be productive today.

* * *

“Thank you, Oikawa-kun, that will be all. We will contact you within the week with our results,” the director shouted over the sound of the studio, looking to his colleagues on either side to add anything to the conversation.

When neither of them did, Oikawa relaxed, dropping his shoulders into a more comfortable position. He greeted the team politely, giving his thanks for allowing him to participate before he grabbed his water bottle and headed off towards the dressing room.

He had never been more grateful for makeup than he was today. Ever since he was a kid, Oikawa had always had a finicky sleep schedule. Six hours was more than okay and by the time he reached high school, he had moved closer to four or five. But that was four or five hours of  _deep_  sleep, which he hadn’t been lucky enough to get last night.

By the time Iwaizumi had left at 2 am, Oikawa’s body had been so pumped on adrenaline that he hadn’t been able to calm himself down long enough for his brain to shut down for the night.

He kept hesitantly touching his lips, wondering if Iwaizumi’s had really been there earlier. The way his heart wouldn’t stop beating, the sound drumming through his entire body and pounding against his eardrums was an indication that what Oikawa thought had happened really  _had_.

But he still felt like it was a dream.

His thoughts had kept him up all night, drifting between a state of sleep where he knew he was awake but too tired to actually get up. When his alarm finally rang that morning and Aki licked at his face as a wakeup call when Oikawa took too long to get up, Oikawa wasn’t sure how he was going to get through the day.

He had an audition that morning and while it wasn’t something he really wanted, he had never been less than a perfectionist. He couldn’t afford to put a dent in his reputation – not when he had just landed a role as the lead model for a luxury clothing brand. What if word got out that he wasn’t serious and they cut his contract off?

Akaashi had taken one look at the bags under his eyes and given Oikawa one of his most unimpressed stares. But, he made sure Oikawa looked good for his audition, taking the iced coffee Oikawa had brought him as a bribe with the necessary amount of complaint.

Now that the audition was over, Oikawa made a mental note to treat Akaashi to a second coffee since no one had commented on his appearance. In fact, the stylist in the judging panel had actually complimented Oikawa’s flawless look.

“Yo!” Kuroo shouted as Oikawa opened the door to the dressing room.

“You’re back from Nagoya,” Oikawa grinned, meeting Kuroo’s enthusiastic hug.

“Yeah, holy shit the business end of the trip was so boring. My agent is so fucking embarrassing. How can I request a new one?” Kuroo groaned, dropping his head into Oikawa’s shoulder.

“Quit complaining, you love Yaku-san. He comes off as sweet and innocent but he knows how to get you good deals and the best pay,” Oikawa reminded, patting his head regardless.

“Hnngh I guess,” Kuroo complained, knowing that Oikawa was right.

Yaku was a great agent and although he and Kuroo had gotten off on the wrong foot at the start, they were a good team. They still bickered – sometimes their arguments could be overheard two floors away – but that had just become a staple in their relationship.

Oikawa’s own agent, a small and friendly man named Watari was much the same. He managed both Oikawa and Yahaba so the three of them often went to dinner together. At first, Oikawa had thought that familiarity between them would be weird – they were only supposed to work together during business hours after all, but Oikawa was happy to learn that they got along well.

“Did you get to explore the city at least?” Oikawa asked.

He moved away from Kuroo towards his bag, pulling out a makeup wipe but foregoing the idea at the last minute. It was probably best that he didn’t expose the world to the horrible bags under his eyes just yet.

“Yeah—oh, I got you something from the science museum. You would have killed to see the planetarium there.” Kuroo shuffled through his own bag, pulling out a lanyard with shooting stars dotted across it. “Now, you won’t lose your keys,” he chuckled.

“Thanks, Kuroo,” Oikawa smiled.

“So… how’s life been without me? I bet you missed me. Tsukki said you had a fit yesterday,” Kuroo said conversationally.

His tone was indifferent; his expression was anything, but. He sat on the couch in the room, head held up in his hands with his elbows rested on either knee.

“Why is nothing a secret with him?” Oikawa glowered.

“Oh come on, you know he cares about you. The only reason he told me was because he thought you needed some cheering up. If you do, you know I’m all ears. You don’t have to have a reason to be sad,” Kuroo reminded.

It was unusual for April to bring bad memories; those were reserved for the end of May and October. The former was his mother’s birthday and the latter was the month she had died. The weeks leading up to those dates were some of Oikawa’s most miserable but he had been lucky so far to have good people around him to pull him out of his moods.

“I know,” Oikawa sighed, unbuttoning the tight pants he had used for his audition.

They made it easier to notice his walk and they extended the length of his legs, which was always a good thing. He shimmied out of them and into the pair of navy chinos he had arrived to the studio in.

“I was just sad because everyone kept asking about why I hadn’t asked Iwa-chan out yet and then I kept thinking back to the night before when he held my hand and I  _thought_  he was going to ask me out but he didn’t. It made me doubt myself,” Oikawa admitted.

“There’s more,” Kuroo said knowingly.

“Yeah,” Oikawa agreed. “I don’t know what made me do it but after everyone left I texted him and he asked me what was wrong. I didn’t know how to explain it so I just stopped replying and he came over instead.”

Kuroo made a sound to indicate he was still listening.

“It was nice if I’m being honest; his presence was enough to make me forget I was sad even though he was part of the reason for it in the first place. And then, I don’t know, somehow he ended up confessing, we made out a little on the couch and Aki head butted him in the jaw so hard that his face is bruised.”

Kuroo slapped his knee in amusement. When he pulled his head up to face Oikawa his eyes were gleaming with unshed tears of joy.

“Jesus Christ, your life’s a fucking drama,” he howled.

“You’re such an asshole,” Oikawa glared.

“Would an asshole think of you on their work trip?” Kuroo asked, pointing to the lanyard that was lying next to Oikawa’s bag.

“If you were then going to use that as an excuse every time,  _yes_.”

“All right, you got me there,” Kuroo shrugged. “Still, is he okay? Did he take back his confession after that?” he asked, looking far too delighted.

“ _No_ ,” Oikawa snapped.

In fact, Iwaizumi had just told Oikawa how much he liked him a few more times after that. Oikawa wasn’t sure if Iwaizumi was just a little loopy or if he really meant it but he’d be lying if he said that the words didn’t turn his limbs to mush.

“Let’s celebrate,” Kuroo grinned. “We’ll go out for lunch.”

Oikawa narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“Oh come on, I’m paying. Live a little, Oikawa,” Kuroo chuckled, not looking very convincing at all.

But Oikawa couldn’t deny that lunch sounded great just about now. He had been at work since early morning – waiting, for the most part for his turn, but here nevertheless. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until Kuroo mentioned lunch. His betraying stomach growled, giving Kuroo the incentive to plead his case.

“Fine, but if we’re celebrating you’ve got to buy me a drink too,” Oikawa bargained.

“Done,” Kuroo agreed.

That felt too easy for Oikawa’s liking but free lunch and a drink didn’t sound bad, so he went along with Kuroo’s plan.

Kuroo’s ability to charm people was something Oikawa fell prey to after years of knowing him as well. So by the time they got off the train and were on their way to the restaurant Kuroo wanted to take Oikawa to, it was too late.

“ _No_ ,” Oikawa glared as they neared the police station Iwaizumi worked at.

“Oh come on, don’t tell me you’ve never thought about what he looks like in his uniform.”

Oikawa  _had_  thought about that before but he wasn’t about to divulge that secret to his friend. He clenched his fists in frustration, counting down from ten in an attempt to calm himself down.

“How do you know he’s even working right now?” Oikawa narrowed his eyes.

“Asked Yahaba to ask Kyoutani to check the logs,” Kuroo shrugged nonchalantly.

“What the fuck, is that who you were texting the whole ride here?”

Kuroo’s silence was the only answer Oikawa needed.

“What if he’s out patrolling the street? What are we going to do? Walk in and ask to see him?” Oikawa continued.

“If he’s not there we’ll leave and  _yeah_ , that’s exactly what we’re going to do. It’s a public service and we’re the public: we’re allowed to walk into police stations, you know?” Kuroo rolled his eyes. “Quit being a baby. I didn’t hear  _anything_  about a proper date from your story and you’re not leaving till you’ve settled on one.”

Oikawa gaped at him in shock. “We did plan a date,” he lied.

“Yeah, and I’m going to be the next person to walk on the moon,” Kuroo retorted.

“Well you  _could_ —ow, what the fuck,” Oikawa glared, clutching at his ear that Kuroo had just pinched. “You know what, yeah, fine, we are going to go into the station and only so that I can file a harassment complaint about you,” he threatened.

“Works for me,” Kuroo shrugged.

“Don’t think I’m not lying,” Oikawa bristled.

He didn’t know if it was the way Kuroo smirked at him, practically daring Oikawa to follow through on his promise or if the lack of sleep really was getting to him but Oikawa pulled open the oak door of the station, marched through the marbled lobby to the front and asked loudly to no one in particular, “How can I file a harassment complaint?”

What he wasn’t expecting was the startled, “ _Oikawa_?” in response.

“Oh, Iwa-chan, I didn’t think you’d be here,” Oikawa flushed, eyes widening at the sight of Iwaizumi at the front desk.

He was standing up, concern etched into his features. A few officers in the lobby looked strangely between Iwaizumi and Oikawa until Iwaizumi waved a hand dismissively and said, “It’s fine, I’ll handle this.”

Iwaizumi walked out from behind his desk towards Oikawa. Next to him, Oikawa spotted Bokuto who was seated in his chair, looking curiously between the two of them.

His eyes fitted to the bruise on Iwaizumi’s jaw, purple and blotchy. Oikawa winced and not because it was unappealing but because it looked like it  _hurt_. Aki wasn’t rough with Oikawa but he knew the strength his dog possessed when he had to give the Akita a bath or when Aki decided he wanted to lay in bed  _on_  Oikawa instead of next to him.

Iwaizumi was lucky that a nasty bruise was all he got out of that encounter but it was a lesson learned for the both of them in patience and good sense.

“What are you doing here?” Iwaizumi asked when was close enough for Oikawa to hear without shouting. “And who’s been harassing you?”

“Shouldn’t the order of those question be reversed? In fact, doesn’t your second question answer your first?” Oikawa teased.

“That’s not funny,” Iwaizumi said flatly. “Seriously, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Oikawa admitted. “Sorry, Kuroo was being a dick and dared me to make an ass of myself in front of you.”

“That is so not what happened, you liar,” Kuroo laughed, coming to stand next to Oikawa.

“Who do you think Iwa-chan’s going to believe? Me or you?” Oikawa challenged.

“Neither,” Iwaizumi answered before they could bicker.

“Lame,” Kuroo rolled his eyes. “Hey, didn’t I meet you once?” he asked, spotting Bokuto and making his escape, leaving Iwaizumi and Oikawa alone once again.

“Will you get in trouble if we drop in like this?” Oikawa asked nervously.

“No, it’s fine,” Iwaizumi promised. Hesitantly, he added, “You look nice.”

“Thanks,” Oikawa beamed, cheeks heating up. “It’s only because I’ve got makeup on right now though. You should see the bags under my eyes,” he laughed nervously, mentally berating himself for telling Iwaizumi information he really didn’t need to know.

“You look good, eye bags and all,” Iwaizumi insisted.

“Iwa-chan doesn’t look so bad either. You’re pretty manly and handsome all decked out in your uniform,” Oikawa smiled, face heating up further.

It was worth it though to see Iwaizumi blush from his neck up to the tips of his ears.

“You’re supposed to say thank you,” Oikawa remarked coyly when Iwaizumi spluttered to find a response.

“Shut up,” he grumbled. “Tell me why you’re really here because we both know it wasn’t to make fun of me.”

“I wasn’t making fun of you,” Oikawa defended immediately. His defensive tone lost its vigour when he noticed that Iwaizumi had been joking. “All right, you can’t laugh at me though, okay?”

“We’ll see,” Iwaizumi shrugged.

If it was anyone else, Oikawa might have believed the nonchalance. With Iwaizumi, he was certain he could say what he wanted without fear of judgement. So far, Iwaizumi had proven to be a very open-minded person and Oikawa was beyond grateful for that.

“I was wondering if you wanted to do something later. It doesn’t have to be tonight but whenever you’re free. Just you and me, no Aki,” Oikawa promised.

Iwaizumi smiled at him. “You mean like a date?”

“Yeah,” Oikawa nodded quickly. “I want to go out on a date with you,” he blurted out.

“Fuck, you’re really cute,” Iwaizumi whispered in response.

It didn’t look like he had meant for the words to come out with the way he brought a hand to his mouth almost comically. Oikawa’s ears burned red; he was sure someone else had to have heard and if they hadn’t, well, they’d know when they found him passed out on the floor that Iwaizumi had rendered him useless with his sincerity.

“Say it again,” Oikawa whispered.

“What?  _No_ ,” Iwaizumi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “If you’ll let me though, I do want to plan the date. Are you free Friday evening?” he asked.

“Yes,” Oikawa confirmed, trying to contain the happy smile. “How’s your face?” he asked redirecting the conversation instead.

“Sore as hell,” Iwaizumi laughed. “But I’ve dealt with worse. It’ll heal up soon.”

“You should see a doctor. Make sure the bone isn’t fractured,” Oikawa insisted.

Iwaizumi looked like he wanted to argue but then he changed his mind at the last minute. He swallowed, the bob of his Adam’s apple visible with the heaviness.

“After work,” he agreed.

Oikawa perked up, pleased that Iwaizumi hadn’t found his suggestion overbearing. “Want me to come with you? Doctor’s officer can be really boring,” he offered.

“Thanks, Oikawa but I think I’d rather save the embarrassment of explaining what happened in front of you,” Iwaizumi chuckled sheepishly.

“You don’t have to tell them the  _entire_  story,” Oikawa flushed, running a hand through his hair. “But fair enough,” he conceded. “You can text me if you’re bored.”

Iwaizumi smiled. “I will,” he promised.

Oikawa wrung his fingers together, fiddling with them to stave off some of the jitteriness he felt. Their conversation had lulled to a natural stop – not awkward, just silent. Oikawa looked past Iwaizumi’s shoulder to Kuroo who was talking animatedly to Bokuto.

“I’d kiss you right now if we weren’t in public.”

Oikawa’s eyes snapped back to Iwaizumi’s, wide and confused but not displeased. This was the second time in less than a minute Iwaizumi had nearly sent Oikawa into a heart attack.

“You can’t—you can’t just say thing like that!” Oikawa spluttered.

“Why not?” Iwaizumi laughed, not unkindly.

“Your face is going to have to heal before you do anything close to kissing,” Oikawa flushed, waving his arms in the direction of Iwaizumi’s bruise.

His face was burning and he could barely string his thoughts together without stuttering. Iwaizumi’s self-satisfied grin wasn’t doing him any favours either.

“Not even on our first date?” Iwaizumi asked.

“ _Iwa-chan_ ,” Oikawa groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

“All right, I’m sorry,” Iwaizumi conceded with a short laugh.

“I’ll let you get back to work,” Oikawa said, knowing he had taken up too much of Iwaizumi’s time already. “Sorry for bothering you here,” he apologized because he knew how awkward it could be as the new guy at work.

“Don’t apologize for that.” Iwaizumi shook his head, eyes crinkled softly. “I’m happy I got to see you today,” he added quietly.

“Me too,” Oikawa agreed. He wished he could show Iwaizumi rather than tell him but the soft way Iwaizumi was looking at him helped Oikawa believe that the other man knew very well.

It took a while for Oikawa to extract Kuroo from Bokuto. In the few minutes that Oikawa had spent talking to Iwaizumi, Kuroo had made a friend in Bokuto. They were loud and Oikawa only realized that people passing by were staring at them once he was no longer focused on Iwaizumi.

He had never been one to shy away from attention or stares but this was embarrassing because it wasn’t a place he was meant to be stared at.

“We’ll hang out,” Kuroo promised Bokuto as they left, waving with both hands.

“Thanks,” Oikawa said sincerely when they were outside.

“No problem” Kuroo smiled. “What are friends for if not to give you good advice?” he remarked.

He was happy so he let Kuroo bask in his glory. With the promise of a free lunch as well, there was nothing that could ruin his day.

* * *

Oikawa’s cheery mood extended over the new few days. But by the time Friday evening rolled around Oikawa’s initial panic had settled in again.

_What if he wasn’t a good date? What if Iwaizumi found him boring? What if Iwaizumi realized it wasn’t worth dating Oikawa?_

He had asked his sister to watch Aki earlier that morning until tomorrow. He wasn’t sure when he would be back and he didn’t want to leave Aki neglected and home alone for too long.  

Now, Oikawa wished he hadn’t asked his sister to come get Aki so early. His dog was often the source of Oikawa’s comfort. But Iwaizumi has been doing a pretty good job of keeping Oikawa distracted through his texts. It almost didn’t feel like they were going out later that night but Oikawa liked the nonchalance of it.

As soon as the clock struck seven, Oikawa heard a knock at the door. He breathed a sigh of relief, happy that Iwaizumi wasn’t late.

When Oikawa opened the door, the first thing he noticed was that it was very obvious that Iwaizumi went through the effort of preparing for a first date. Oikawa had been texting him earlier so he didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary. They lived in neighbouring apartments so this was a new experience; he didn’t know how to react. He had never lived this close to a date before and Oikawa’s not sure he would have liked to if it wasn’t for his immediate infatuation with Iwaizumi.

But it was nice to know that Iwaizumi was more than just a good-looking face. He was kind and patient. He was observant in the way he noticed the shifts in Oikawa’s moods, whether they were positive or negative. He was funny, open-minded, had healthy habits – aside from his dependent on instant noodles – and he worked hard, something that Oikawa himself was no stranger to.

But he  _was_  good-looking as well and there was no denying that.

Oikawa had asked him earlier whether he should dress up or not for tonight. Now, he was grateful that he had. He didn’t know where they were going but Iwaizumi could take them swimming through a swamp and Oikawa would go willingly, even if it ruined his clothes. But he doesn’t think Iwaizumi was the kind of guy who would find it funny to do that and the thought makes Oikawa smile.

When Iwaizumi removed his hands from behind his back and handed Oikawa a bouquet of irises, his smile widened impossibly; they were pale yellow, tall and beautiful. Oikawa hoped Iwaizumi knew the meaning behind them but it wouldn’t matter even if he didn’t because Oikawa was grateful for the gift.

“You didn’t have to get me flowers, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa denied out of formality.

Iwaizumi smiled, playing along. “I asked to plan the date, didn’t I?” he insisted.

“Yeah,” Oikawa agreed, at a loss for what else to say. “Do you want to come in? I’m ready but I just need to find a place to put these,” he gestured to the bouquet in his hand.

Iwaizumi nodded. He followed Oikawa into the apartment as Oikawa widened the door to let him in. he excused himself for the intrusion, something he did without fail every single time. Iwaizumi didn’t speak much – or at all – about his family but Oikawa could tell that he had a formal upbringing. Oikawa’s own mother was strict; she was particular about tradition, especially about respect. Iwaizumi’s family seemed to be on a whole other level though.

But it  _was_  nice to meet someone with such high moral standards. It was refreshing and Oikawa couldn’t help but think it added to Iwaizumi’s charm.

“Do you want anything to drink?” Oikawa asked, padding his way through the kitchen, Iwaizumi not far behind.

“No thank you,” Iwaizumi shook his head politely.

Oikawa laughed in agreement, not pushing the question again. It took him a few minutes to find the vase – he only had one but he hadn’t used it in a long time. When he filled it with water and arranged the irises Iwaizumi had given him into it appropriately he flashed the other man a proud grin.

“You look nice,” Iwaizumi said in response. “I’m sorry I didn’t say it earlier.”

Iwaizumi’s compliment forced a blush on his face, patches of pink lighting up his skin. He knew the flush was visible and that embarrassed him further. Especially with the way Iwaizumi was distracted by it, eyes flitting from one side of Oikawa’s face to the other.

He had to resist the urge to self-consciously tuck his head down, cast his eyes to his feet. Objectively speaking, Oikawa knew he was good looking. The companies that hired him told him as much, that he fit their desired brand, that his features were hard to come by. In high school he got confessions often – something that his friends liked to tease him about. So he was no stranger to stares of admiration.

Still, he felt uncharacteristically shy under Iwaizumi’s gaze.

Maybe it was because he knew how much he liked Iwaizumi himself and for more than just his looks. To have had that kind of expression returned had him insecure.

“Thanks, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa offered shyly. “You look nice too,” he returned because Iwaizumi  _did_.

He had a strong build and it was accentuated by the button-up that he was wearing. Navy, fitted but not tight, sleeves rolled up to his elbows to reveal toned forearms. The shirt itself was crisp, firm around the shoulders. It looked like something that was specifically tailored.

“Maybe a quick drink,” Iwaizumi blurted out.

Oikawa blinked at him in surprise for a few moments, brain working to catch up with what Iwaizumi had just said. He laughed, caught somewhere between amusement and relief when he registered Iwaizumi’s words.

“What kind of response is that?” Oikawa chuckled.

“Shut up,” Iwaizumi retorted weakly.

Now there was a blush on  _his_  cheeks and it made Oikawa feel relieved because he knew he wasn’t the only one nervous for tonight.

Talking to Iwaizumi was no different and no more difficult than usual. But the context gave Oikawa jitters.

“What would you like? I’ve got your regular old beer but I’ve also got mixers if you want a proper drink. Or do you want something non-alcoholic?”

“Beer’s fine,” Iwaizumi nodded. “Where’s Aki by the way?” he asked, looking around the apartment.

“ _Oh_ ,” Oikawa chuckled. “I asked my sister if she could watch him. Takeru’s happy because he hasn’t seen Aki in a while. The months leading up to April are really busy for me so I’ll leave Aki with them a couple times a month for work. Summer is more relaxed for me but I think Takeru got used to having Aki around often,” Oikawa smiled.

Springtime was always busy with auditions for the upcoming Fall fashion week but by the time May and June rolled around work quieted down.

Oikawa was grateful for this because he always loved summer in Japan. Whether he was in Miyagi or Tokyo, summer was always full of bright colours, warm weather, festivals and lots of food.

“You and your family seem close,” Iwaizumi noted.

“Yeah,” Oikawa agreed, “but we weren’t always like that. My sister and I used to fight a lot when we were kids. She’s eight years older than me and since it was just me, her, and my mum for most of my childhood she was the one who had to look after me if my mum couldn’t. She hated it almost as much as I did.”

“I know what that’s like. My brother’s ten years older than me,” Iwaizumi said.

“You have a brother?” Oikawa perked up. It was the first time Iwaizumi mentioned someone in his family.

“Half-brother,” Iwaizumi corrected. “Not that the term means much. He’s always been a good brother but he can be a bit overbearing and a real dick when he wants to be. And he  _always_  gets what he wants,” Iwaizumi added.

Oikawa cocked his head to the side, unsure of what to say. The idea that Iwaizumi’s father remarried stung a little if only because of his own family history. He knew it was unfair and that the Iwaizumi he knew was not his father and that Iwaizumi’s own father was not Oikawa’s but he couldn’t stop the initial thoughts from filtering through his brain.

“I’m glad you get along,” Oikawa offered eventually.

Iwaizumi snorted. “Something like that,” he shrugged. “He’s always supported me but sometimes I don’t think he’s happy with the career choice I made.”

Oikawa wanted to ask Iwaizumi to elaborate but it was clear that he hadn’t meant to say so much. Iwaizumi shook his head and sheepishly said, “Sorry, I overtook your story. What were you saying about your family?”

There was nothing to apologize for but Oikawa didn’t say that. Instead, he opened a beer and handed it to Iwaizumi.

“My annoying sister,” Oikawa grinned. “Though to be honest she lost most of the qualities I didn’t like about her when she stopped seeing her ex-boyfriend—Takeru’s dad,” Oikawa explained.

“Your sister did seem young for someone with a son Takeru’s age,” Iwaizumi admitted. “But I didn’t want to assume.”

“That’s okay, her life isn’t exactly a secret thanks to me either,” Oikawa smiled wryly. “I mean, most people don’t care about my life because being a model is different from being an actor but you’d be surprised by how much information is available. I guess my family’s just full of scandal,” he chuckled.

“At least your dad hasn’t been married three times,” Iwaizumi confessed.

Oikawa knew it wasn’t a joke and he didn’t know what overcame him but he laughed a little, eyes widening in realization just milliseconds after he heard his own voice. He held his hand to his mouth, as if that was going take away from what had already been done.

Iwaizumi wasn’t offended though. He was grinning disbelievingly, shaking his head with a small sigh.

“For all I know, he could be,” Oikawa said after a moment of thought. He hadn’t spoken to his father since the man left. Oikawa didn’t even remember what he looked like since his mother hadn’t kept photos and Mariko refused to talk about him. “But I don’t want to talk about poor parenting choices. Tell me about your day,” he said, changing the subject.

Iwaizumi had no problem agreeing to Oikawa’s comment. He recalled his morning, which was mostly spent handing out speeding tickets. Iwaizumi said he didn’t want to be that guy but he also claimed that all rules are rules and should be followed, that crimes didn’t have to be of a large calibre to constitute warranting attention.

By the time either of them noticed how long they had been talking Oikawa didn’t even care about going out. He was content to stay in, order food and watch a movie.

When Oikawa voiced his opinion, Iwaizumi smiled fondly but shook his head. “I don’t think you’re going to want to miss out on this place.”

“You’re pretty conﬁdent there, Iwa-chan," Oikawa goaded.

Iwaizumi stared ﬂatly at him. “It’s still a surprise,” he said, catching on to Oikawa’s meaning.

“Dammit, it was worth a try,” Oikawa laughed.

The banter was refreshing and Iwaizumi didn’t fail to keep Oikawa on his toes. It was one of the qualities Oikawa found so charming about the other man. He could be blunt, a bit rough with his words but never impolite or rude.

His brazenness was a breath of fresh air. Too many people didn’t know how to be themselves but that wasn’t something Oikawa had to worry about when he was around Iwaizumi.

After years of consecutive work in the modelling industry Oikawa was good at picking out a fake personality when he saw one. He was glad Iwaizumi was nothing but genuine.

“You sure you don’t want a light jacket?” Iwaizumi asked when he noticed Oikawa standing ready by the door.

“You’re not wearing one,” Oikawa pointed out.

“Yeah—but...” Iwaizumi struggled to ﬁnd the correct words.

“I’m kidding, I know you’re just being a very cautious date,” Oikawa reassured with a grin. He grabbed a thin, black bomber jacket that didn’t clash with his outﬁt to appease Iwaizumi who looked somewhat grateful and disgruntled at the same time.

Oikawa didn’t know what overcomes him but he pecked a quick kiss to Iwaizumi’s right cheek, careful to avoid the bruise under his jaw on his left.

The bone wasn’t broken as Iwaizumi told Oikawa after his doctor’s appointment on Tuesday so Oikawa wasn’t too worried for its health. Still, he didn’t want to disturb the healing process and cause a premature fracture.

He hadn’t kissed Iwaizumi since Tuesday night and Oikawa was slowly losing his sanity but he knew that it wouldn’t do either of them any good if Iwaizumi’s face didn’t heal.

They took the subway to the restaurant but it was in Minato so they didn’t have to go far. The walk from the station was relatively quick. In the busy, Friday evening rush, the streets were brimming with people both old and young but Oikawa didn’t mind.

Iwaizumi kept looking at him but Oikawa caught his eye because he couldn’t help but want to look at the other man too.

When they stopped in front of a posh looking establishment, Oikawa gaped in surprise. The words ‘ _Planetarium Bar_ ’ were written in fancy, looped writing across the top in English.

“No way!” Oikawa yelled out.

He had heard of this place but it was a date spot so he hadn’t been, had never found someone interested in the beauty of the night sky enough to want to go with him. But it felt pretty amazing that Iwaizumi thought of this on his own.

“You like stars, right?” Iwaizumi asked nervously.

“Yes,” Oikawa laughed because that was a simple way of putting it. “I love anything and everything to do with space,” he confirmed.

“Even black holes?” Iwaizumi quipped.

“They’re nothing to be afraid of! We just don’t know what they’re capable of or how to control them but science is advancing so quickly that—oh, you were joking,” he pouted.

“I wasn’t expecting a legitimate answer but I think I like that better, anyway,” Iwaizumi chuckled.

Oikawa’s face heated up again and he smacked Iwaizumi’s arm weakly.

“Hey, Iwa-chan, are you sure this place is okay?” Oikawa asked hesitantly, noticing the array of couples seated at tables meant for two through the large glass windows. “It’s a very obvious date spot and I don’t know how many people you’re out to. I can’t guarantee that someone won’t publish an article about me. I don’t want you to risk getting heat for it from your superiors or your co-workers because of me,” he chewed at his bottom lips.

“If you don’t want to go in then we won’t,” Iwaizumi said, face falling.

“That’s not what I said,” Oikawa reprimanded.

“Then I don’t see what the problem is,” Iwaizumi shrugged.

Oikawa didn’t think love could bloom that easily but Iwaizumi was sure doing a good job of making his heart curl into itself in joy, imitating that sort of love.

“Geez,” Oikawa huffed embarrassedly. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he bit his lip to stop from smiling too widely.

Oikawa wasn’t unaccustomed to articles being published about him. Most of them weren’t given much notice but a few made it around for a couple months at a time before they blew over.

Oikawa’s sexuality wasn’t something new and most people in his industry didn’t seem to care. As long as he didn’t bring the brand value down then he was fit for the job and so far, Oikawa had been lucky enough to be supported.

“Trust me, been there, done that,” Iwaizumi grimaced.

“What? Iwa-chan’s been publicly trapped in a rumour before? How  _scandalous_ ,” he teased, though there was a hint of curiosity in his voice.

“I did tell you that my dad’s been married three times,” Iwaizumi reminded.

“Yeah but that kind of stuff is low profile unless you’re famous or you’ve got lots of money, which usually goes hand in hand. What does your dad do?” he asked.

Iwaizumi looked at Oikawa like he wanted to forget this conversation ever happened. Oikawa was willing to comply if only because he deemed it personal and maybe Iwaizumi would offer up the information when he felt more comfortable.

So he walked through the door that Iwaizumi held open for him. When Iwaizumi suddenly said, “He’s the CEO of a private security firm,” Oikawa froze.

It took him a moment to make the connection but when he did, he almost couldn’t believe it.

“You’re  _that_  Iwaizumi?” he gaped, whipping his head back to face the other man.

“Come on, Oikawa,” Iwaizumi groaned, nudging him forward lightly because they were letting the outside air and noise in, disturbing the serene atmosphere of the restaurant.

“Nu-uh,” Oikawa said stubbornly. “I thought you were just playing it cool when I told you to Google me and you didn’t really flinch but here you are, the son of one of Japan’s business tycoons,” he whispered harshly. “What the hell, Iwa-chan?”

“It’s no that big of a deal,” Iwaizumi insisted. “And he’s not  _that_  rich,” he added as an afterthought.

“Oh, my bad. He’s just got  _rich clients_ ,” Oikawa corrected, sarcasm dripping from his every word.

He had forgotten all about his nerves or maybe the unfiltered comments were a symptom. All Oikawa knew was that he no longer knew how to feel.

Iwaizumi was still the same person; still kind and dorky and stubborn. But it was weird to think Oikawa was technically the  _less_  famous one between them.

“Not funny,” Iwaizumi rolled his eyes but he didn’t look truly upset.

His words and his action sobered Oikawa up, if only a little.

Iwaizumi led them to the front where a hostess greeted them. She asked if they had a reservation and Iwaizumi gave her his name. The woman eyes Iwaizumi's face for a moment but she didn’t look all to bothered aside from a double take at the fading purple bruise.

When she found his name on the guest list though she didn’t comment. She signalled for them to follow her to a table.

“Should I be worried about being the centre of a scandal instead?” Oikawa teased.

“You’re such a shit,” Iwaizumi whispered so only Oikawa could hear him.

“Hmm, yet you still asked me out,” Oikawa shot him a happy grin. Iwaizumi couldn’t hide his own smile at the sight.

“Yeah,” he agreed seriously.

He thanked the hostess as she repeated a memorized speech about the specials. Oikawa wasn’t paying attention to a word because his eyes caught sight of the ceiling above them, reflecting off of their table.

The restaurant itself was dimly lit, reddish-orange lighting fitted into potholes strategically to imitate the glow of lanterns against a night sky.

It was a good look, especially because the focal point was the sky animated on the ceiling depicting a supernova of gases burning bright. It was different from the ceiling in Oikawa's own bedroom; a lot more pristine, magical,  _bigger_.

Oikawa noted that the lamp-like lighting served more than just a mood setter. It expanded the restaurant, ceiling included.

All the tables were a glossy mahogany colour, meant for two. There was a bar to the right with a few stools lined up in a row and an array of liquor behind it. Some of the names like  _protostar_  and  _zenith_  sounded pretty cool. They appealed to Oikawa's love for space but they also looked strong and Oikawa wanted to remember the entire night, not just fuzzy pieces of it.

“This place is amazing,” Oikawa sighed wistfully.

“I thought you might like it,” Iwaizumi admitted, though he looked relieved to hear Oikawa's praise.

“I guess it’s pretty obvious what I like, huh?” Oikawa smiled.

Iwaizumi bit the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing but Oikawa could see his amusement. “I mean, your bedroom was a dead giveaway,” he reminded.

“ _Iwa-chan_ ,” Oikawa scolded, mock scandalized look appearing on his face. “When were you in my bedroom?”

Iwaizumi looked affronted by the question but it was a mask for his embarrassment. Even in the dim lighting Oikawa could see the tips of his ears burning red. It was cute and Oikawa was tempted to take a picture.

“Seriously? Don’t ask it like  _that_ ,” Iwaizumi argued. “It was when I brought you home from Kyoutani’s last week,” he said in explanation.

“Oh,” Oikawa flushed.

He had forgotten about that. but it was too late to let the embarrassing memories ruin his mood.

“Speaking of, you met Akaashi, right?”

Oikawa had been meaning to ask Iwaizumi about Akaashi doing a painting for him but he had never figured out how to ask without sounding overbearing.

Iwaizumi's face scrunched up in thought. “Black hair, short- _er_ -, has an expression that reads ‘don’t fuck with me?’” he asked.

“I wouldn’t call Akaashi  _short_ ,” Oikawa laughed.

“I didn’t say short, just short- _er_ ,” Iwaizumi corrected. “He  _is_  shorter than and the rest of your friends,” he defended.

“Still taller than you though,” Oikawa quipped.

“Wow, is this how you treat all your first dates?” Iwaizumi laughed.

He was joking yet Oikawa couldn’t help but feel self-conscious. Iwaizumi caught on when Oikawa didn’t immediately hit him with a smart response.

“Hey, you know I didn’t mean that, right? I’m actually really glad that you feel comfortable enough to not hold back your honesty with me,” Iwaizumi reassured.

“Really?” Oikawa asked.

“Yeah, it’s much better than having to figure out if your date is lying to you or not,” Iwaizumi admitted.

Oikawa hummed in agreement. “I guess Iwa-chan’s been on a lot of dates to know that,” he remarked.

“Smooth, Oikawa. Real subtle,” Iwaizumi chuckled. He followed up his words with a gentle nudge to Oikawa's foot.

It was light, teasing, a touch of comfort. And when Oikawa nudged him back Iwaizumi didn’t hesitate to tangle Oikawa's legs between his own, calves brushing underneath the table.

“Have you taken a look at the menu? Let me know when you’re ready to order,” Iwaizumi said, like he wasn’t playing footsie with Oikawa.

Iwaizumi had such a way of doing things with ease and nonchalance that it made Oikawa's heart stutter. Iwaizumi wasn’t even fazed that they were doing the next best thing to holding hands in public. Oikawa wasn’t sure if he was supposed to acknowledge it though so he gaped like a fish for a few seconds before he shut his mouth, eyes landing on the open menu in front of him.

He could sense Iwaizumi looking at him, which caused an involuntary flush to spread across his face.

It was crazy how Iwaizumi could both calm him down and send him into a frenzy with the same look. Oikawa knew he had no reason to be nervous so he let himself relax into the feel of Iwaizumi's touch.

“What were you saying about Akaashi before?” Iwaizumi asked after they had given their orders. “I’m sorry I cut you off,” he apologized.

“Oh yeah,” Oikawa remembered, “that’s okay, you’re allowed to protest a perceived insult.”

In truth, Iwaizumi wasn’t short at all. Everyone Oikawa knew just happened to be tall and apparently the same could be said for Iwaizumi if Hanamaki and Matsukawa were the standard to go by.

“Akaashi’s a really good artist. He painted the ceiling in my bedroom. I feel like I should give you a moving in gift so if you want, Akaashi’s willing to paint something cool like that for you too. It doesn’t have to be on your ceiling, hell it could be on a canvas—anything you want!”

“Oikawa, you already baked me a cake when I moved in,” Iwaizumi reminded.

Oikawa stared flatly at him for a few moments. “Actually, that was just an excuse to talk to you,” he admitted.

Iwaizumi's chuckle should have made him feel embarrassed but it was warm and washed a calm over Oikawa instead.

“ _Seriously_?” he asked.

“What? Do you want me to inflate your ego or something?” Oikawa pinched his lips tightly, trying not to smile.

“Oh come on, I called you cute in public the other day and you told me to say it again. Don’t be a hypocrite,” Iwaizumi laughed.

“You’re so rude,” Oikawa pouted.

“Sorry,” Iwaizumi grinned not looking very apologetic at all. “I don’t know though, I feel like you’ve already done so much for me,” he said seriously.

“Okay fine, when’s your birthday?” Oikawa asked instead.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Iwaizumi narrowed his eyes. “June 10th,” he replied when Oikawa didn’t budge from his stubborn stance.

“Not too far then,” he hummed to himself. “It’ll be your birthday present instead, so no arguments. And it’s not like Akaashi will do it for free so don’t feel bad,” Oikawa added.

Maybe he wouldn’t take cash but he  _had_  asked Oikawa to introduce him to one of Iwaizumi's friends. But it wasn’t like Oikawa had to tell Iwaizumi the specific of it yet.

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “You’re fucking ridiculous.”  

“You say that like it’s a bad thing but I know you secretly enjoy it,” Oikawa said proudly.

Iwaizumi didn’t deny his statement and that only boosted Oikawa's ego.

All the nervousness he had been feeling earlier that night disappeared the longer they talked. Oikawa realized that Iwaizumi was enjoying himself and that recognition served to loosen him up.

This was the first time Iwaizumi was open about his family even if the knowledge was minimal. Oikawa could see why now though; if he had a famous dad he wouldn’t have wanted to talk about it either.

But it was relieving that Oikawa didn’t have to explain all the cons that came with his job. He loved it and he didn’t mind it but it was hard to subject a significant other to that lifestyle as well.

It was obvious that Iwaizumi was trying to lead a normal life but he was accustomed to having his story available at just a click of a button. It explains why Iwaizumi was so understanding about privacy, why he hadn’t  _actually_  looked Oikawa up until someone else pointed Oikawa's fame out to him.

A lot of it had to do with the fact that he was also just a  _good_  guy, which made the fondness in Oikawa's heart grow.

When they finished their meals and Iwaizumi insisted on paying for them both, telling Oikawa that he could plan the next date and make it up to him then, Oikawa's entire body felt fluttery. He couldn’t explain how  _happy_  he was, how confident and  _good_  Iwaizumi made him feel.

Oikawa was content when they exited the bar. He had only had one drink over the course of the night so he felt very much in control of himself but still dazed enough that his smiles came easy. Or maybe that was just the intoxicating effect Iwaizumi had on him.

“Tonight was really fun,” Oikawa said, bumping his shoulder against Iwaizumi's. 

Iwaizumi hummed in acknowledgement. “You want to put that jacket to use?” Iwaizumi asked, pointing at the bomber jacket Oikawa had folded up over his left arm.

“There’s  _more_?”

Oikawa was shocked not because he was unhappy but because he couldn’t believe Iwaizumi had thought so far ahead.

“Only if you want,” Iwaizumi added.

“ _Yes_.”

There was nothing else he would have liked  _more_.  In a burst of confidence Oikawa took Iwaizumi's hand in his, squeezed it tightly and asked him to lead the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next time:  
> \- date part 2  
> \- Iwaizumi's a sap but Oikawa is living for it
> 
> kudos and comments mean a lot <3 
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) // [tumblr](https://oiivkawa.tumblr.com/)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is super late but it's here, and I'm still writing it, I promise! being an adult means working an adult job 5 days a week and spending the weekend trying to motivate my creativity to come back ;____;
> 
> please ignore the million typos because this has not been edited at all... but I'll try to get to them this weekend!

When they took the train heading north, Oikawa thought that they might be heading back home, that maybe that would go for a walk around the neighbourhood. The night had been warm when they first headed out but it had become chilly since then. There was a slight breeze, cool but not cold and Oikawa was tempted to put his jacket on.

But then they transferred east too early rather than staying on the train going north so Oikawa concluded they really were going some place new.

“Where are we going?” Oikawa asked curiously, tugging on Iwaizumi's arm.

Iwaizumi’s hand was no longer neatly tucked into Oikawa's and Oikawa knew it was because they were in public.

Oikawa had never cared about being proper and correct before but tonight he was willing to let their fingers brush against one another discreetly while they were in front of other people just because he was enjoying himself. So far, the night had been perfect and Oikawa didn’t want it to be ruined by some stranger’s unwanted preferences.

“It’s a surprise,” Iwaizumi smiled.

The look he gave Oikawa was teasing, like he was saying that he knew how impatient Oikawa could be but that he was going to hold out on him anyway.

Oikawa frowned in response, not quite annoyed but definitely curious.

“ _Iwa-chan_ ,” he complained, dragging out the syllables in his name.

“You want to go home?” Iwaizumi asked.

“No, but I do want to know where we’re going. What if you’ve been lying about being a police officer all this time and are actually luring me into a trap?” he said flippantly.

They received a few stares at Oikawa's loud comment but Oikawa wasn’t embarrassed. He might have been under other circumstances but Oikawa was too distracted following the lines of Iwaizumi's flush to care about what other people thought right then.

“Quit being so loud,” Iwaizumi said under his breath.

“Why? Because you don’t want people to know you’re secretly a serial killer?”

“He’s joking,” Iwaizumi said to the woman sitting in the seat across from them. She was staring at them wide-eyed, confused.

Iwaizumi didn’t look angry, just exasperated but his lips were twitching as if he was trying to contain a smile himself.

Oikawa turned to the woman and flashed her a blinding smile to appease her. “I  _am_  joking,” he promised. “I have an odd sense of humour, what can I say?” he added, laughing a little.

The woman’s face was caught somewhere between fear and relief. She offered them a small smile in response but at the next stop she got up and moved back a few seats. The old man and the teenage boy who were sitting close by also changed seats to be as far away from Iwaizumi and Oikawa as possible.

“You did that on purpose,” Iwaizumi said flatly.

“You wouldn’t hold my hand,” Oikawa pointed out. “Not that I’m blaming you. People can be so annoying and judgmental. Now we don’t have to worry,” he grinned.

Iwaizumi clucked his tongue in disapproval but he took Oikawa's hand in his, anyway, thumb brushing across the back in a soothing pattern.

“It’s not my fault I like Iwa-chan so much,” Oikawa said quietly.

Iwaizumi made a choked sound. Oikawa briefly wondered if he was being too honest, too  _clingy_ , but then Iwaizumi squeezed around his hand and said, “I’m glad,” so sincerely that Oikawa couldn’t register the words for a few seconds.

All of Oikawa's worries were washed away with two words. If he had been alone, he would have probably screamed in delight. He was content with the feeling of Iwaizumi's hand in his to ground him for the time being though.

The train ride wasn’t too long and when they got out of at Shibaura station Iwaizumi immediately asked Oikawa if he was cold.

“A little,” Oikawa tilted his head in confusion.

He wasn’t given the chance to wonder what Iwaizumi wanted with that information when he felt a hand around his arm, gently tugging at the jacket he had there in question.

Oikawa nearly dropped his head in his hands when Iwaizumi took the jacket and held it open for Oikawa to place his arms through the sleeves. His face was burning but he was happier than he had been in a long time.

Iwaizumi seemed to notice that because he grinned at Oikawa, swooping down to place a swift kiss to his cheek.

“What did I say about kissing?” Oikawa chided.

“I couldn’t help it. You looked cute with your face all red,” Iwaizumi laughed.

“Iwa-chan’s so mean,” Oikawa sniffed.

But he wasn’t really upset—not even close to it. He knew he was being a little paranoid about Iwaizumi's face but he felt guilty for what Aki did even it had been an accident this time around.

And he was worried Iwaizumi wouldn’t like him, that he’d come to the realization that Oikawa's dog wasn’t worth the trouble of dating Oikawa if somehow he got hurt again.

The thoughts were stupid and fleeting, anyway, when Iwaizumi bumped his shoulder against Oikawa's and told him to stop worrying and enjoy the view instead.

Oikawa hadn’t realized where they had been walking, too caught up in his own thoughts for a few moments.

When he looked up and really took in the view he couldn’t believe his eyes. The last time they had been here had been last Sunday, less than a week ago. Albeit, they had come to walk across Rainbow Bridge on the pedestrian side with Hanamaki and Matsukawa during the daytime.

Oikawa had told Iwaizumi's friends then that the sight was a lot more beautiful at night. Rainbow Bridge really fit its name all lit up in an array of colours spanning red to violet. The lights were bright, vivid, not tacky at all. They fit into a pretty gradient.

While Oikawa loved watching the stars in the darkness of the night he had always been attracted to lights in general. It was why he hadn’t found it very difficult to adjust to the sky in Tokyo when he moved from Miyagi.

The stars were sparse, less visible wit the artificial lights that lit up the modern-day city, but the sky was the time. It was still bright, inviting.

Tokyo wasn’t where Oikawa envisioned himself stargazing, anyway. That was always associated with the countryside and the thought made the act  _special_.

He couldn’t believe that Iwaizumi had been listening to what Oikawa had said about Rainbow Bridge at the time—couldn’t believe that Iwaizumi had  _remembered_.

Oikawa didn’t know what came over him but he was so elated that he didn’t think twice about throwing his arms around Iwaizumi's neck and squeezing tightly.

“I take it you’re happy,” Iwaizumi chuckled nervously from around him.

Iwaizumi was so close Oikawa could feel his breath tickle the side of Oikawa's neck; warm, light, comforting. Oikawa couldn’t help but shiver and he knew that Iwaizumi felt it because he just wrapped his arms around Oikawa's waist and squeezed him into a tighter embrace.

“Yeah,” Oikawa agreed. “I’m really happy.”

As far as first dates went, this one was pretty perfect. Oikawa almost couldn’t believe that he was a jittery mess the first time he worked up the courage to approach Iwaizumi after that awful first encounter. With how relaxed Oikawa felt now, he knew he had come a long way in a short period of time.

“You want to sit down? There’s a park bench over there that we can snag,” Iwaizumi pointed to an empty spot, pulling away from Oikawa.

The loss of warmth was noticeable but Oikawa had no reason to feel disappointed so he nodded, allowed Iwaizumi to take his hand and tug him towards the small, wooden bench.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t walk across; the walkway closed at nine,” Iwaizumi apologized.

“I like this plenty,” Oikawa reassured. “Rainbow Bridge is great for walking across during the day because you can actually enjoy the view of Tokyo but at night it’s the lights themselves that are appealing.”

Iwaizumi watched him for a few moments, like he was trying to gauge if Oikawa was lying just to make him feel better but his critical look turned relieved soon enough.

“What made you like space so much?” Iwaizumi asked curiously.

“Honestly?” Oikawa laughed.

Iwaizumi nodded to show that his request had been serious.

“It started when I was four years old. I was at a department store with my mum and my sister. There was this bright blue sweater with an alien head on the front that caught my eye. I didn’t even care so much about the alien at the time but the sweater was really soft and I  _really_  wanted it. I asked my mum thinking she’s shoot the request down and I’d move on but she agreed. Thinking back now, it was around the time my dad left so she probably thought she had something to make up to me,” Oikawa said thoughtfully.

Oikawa gave Iwaizumi a reassuring smile at that; he knew how awkward people got when Oikawa talked about his family. In all honesty, Oikawa didn’t mind sharing his past with people he liked and trusted. Still, he knew it wasn't the smoothest of topics so if Iwaizumi wanted him to stop, Oikawa would.

But Iwaizumi didn’t look awkward or uncomfortable or even apologetic. Oikawa detested the pity the most because his life wasn’t something he wanted other people to be  _sorry_  for. So he was grateful that Iwaizumi's gaze was just curious, giving Oikawa permission to do what he wanted next.

“Anyway, I was super happy about it but the moment we got home and I was in my room my sister came in to lecture me about how I couldn’t just ask for whatever I wanted all the time anymore. I didn’t really understand the situation then but I felt guilty and I wanted to show my mum that she didn’t waste her money on me.

“The next weekend I asked if she’d take me to the library and I borrowed a bunch of books on anything space-related I could find. I also wore that blue, alien sweater all the time—even when it was probably too hot to be appropriate. But I really did love it and the more I learned about the universe, the more I loved  _it_. I guess I never really outgrew that phase,” Oikawa smiled fondly.

“That’s really fucking cute,” Iwaizumi chuckled.

“Thanks,” Oikawa flushed. “Pretty much all my pictures from that age have me wearing my favourite sweater,” he laughed lightly. “But when Takeru was born and my mum was patching a quilt for him I gave her the sweater to use in that because I wanted to give Takeru something too. It might actually be hanging around still.”

“Your mum sounds like she was a great person,” Iwaizumi said honestly.

“Yeah, she really was,” Oikawa admitted.

He didn't get sad talking about his mother anymore but moments like this Oikawa realized how much he truly missed her. He couldn’t help but wonder what she would have thought of Iwaizumi. She was the most supportive he knew so in Oikawa's mind, he was sure she would have loved Iwaizumi.

“She acted like she wasn’t very happy with me when I gave up volleyball but I know she was really proud with the way I turned out. And it’s not like my life sucks, you know? I do miss volleyball sometimes but the spark kind of went out when my mum got sick. She was inadvertently the reason I got into the sport in the first place.”

“I can understand that,” Iwaizumi nodded. “Thank you for sharing that with me, Oikawa,” he added, look genuine.

“Of course,” Oikawa smiled. “I trust Iwa-chan and you’re really easy to talk to,” he admitted nervously.

“I feel the same way,” Iwaizumi agreed, returning Oikawa's earnest smile. “And if you’re ever feeling nostalgic about volleyball let me know. I used to play in high school so I’d be happy to help round up some people for an intramural or something,” he offered.

For a moment Oikawa was shocked but his surprise was quickly replaced by delight. Iwaizumi's offer was more than just kind. It made Oikawa's whole body tingle, neurons firing off in every direction until he felt like he was floating.

“Let me guess,” Oikawa said, sizing Iwaizumi up. “Wing Spiker?”

“What—how’d you know that?” Iwaizumi frowned.

“Do you really need me to answer that?” Oikawa laughed, face heating up slightly.

Oikawa looked down to where Iwaizumi's arm was pressed lightly against the sleeve of his jacket then back up to Iwaizumi's face. He was pleased to see that Iwaizumi looked a little embarrassed, if only because it helped relax his own flush slightly. Oikawa shot Iwaizumi a wide grin and he was met by amused laughter; the sound quiet, deep, enough to make Oikawa laugh too.

“You know, it’s weird that I don’t remember seeing you in any tournaments back in high school,” Oikawa recalled when they had fallen back into a happy silence.

The park they were in was relatively quiet, the benches spaced out for privacy. It gave an almost unobstructed view of the lit up bright. Oikawa had always found beauty in silent, serene nights.

Being along like this gave them the chance to talk, which could have been potentially awkward had they not had things in common.

But Iwaizumi's confidence in their ability to keep up conversation made Oikawa's stomach do little somersaults.

“My team wasn’t that great so we didn’t go to too many tournaments and even if we had, I’m sure we wouldn’t have gotten to play you,” Iwaizumi chuckled.

“Sounds like someone did their homework,” Oikawa teased.

Iwaizumi had told him last week that he had looked Oikawa up so it wasn’t like it was a surprise to hear Iwaizumi compare their teams. Still, it was worth it to see the redness bloom over Iwaizumi's cheeks.

“You’ll never let me live that down, will you?” Iwaizumi shook his head.

“If it makes you feel better I can Google you and then we’ll be even,” Oikawa offered.

He was mostly joking but there was a hint of curiosity there.

“Sure,” Iwaizumi bit his lip, smile lopsided. “Just don’t believe everything you read.”

“Promise,” Oikawa insisted. “Tell me about your mum?” Oikawa asked. He felt Iwaizumi shift next to him and Oikawa remembered that Iwaizumi had mentioned his father and his brother but never his mother. In an effort to save the conversation, Oikawa added, “Only if you want to.”

Iwaizumi chuckled at Oikawa's sudden hesitancy. “Eh, it’s a little embarrassing to talk about her,” he admitted. “I mean,  _I’m_  not embarrassed of her but people tend to make weird comments when they realize how young she is.”

From the unamused look on Iwaizumi's face, Oikawa could only conclude that Iwaizumi's mother was pretty and the kinds of remarks people made about her certainly couldn’t have been appropriate.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Oikawa reassured.

“Nah,” Iwaizumi shook his head. “I want to.”

“Okay,” Oikawa agreed.

“My dad’s a hardass but my mum’s always been the more reasonable one between them. They got married right after she graduated from university but they met before that. My mum studied music in school; she was a really good violinist and my dad attended one of her concerts. I guess they really hit it off but, uh, he was still married at the time,” Iwaizumi flushed.

When Oikawa asked Iwaizumi to tell him about his mother, Oikawa wasn't expecting the whole story. He couldn’t say he was ungrateful but he  _did_  feel like he may have unintentionally guilt-tripped Iwaizumi into saying more than he had planned.

It was a fleeting thought though; Oikawa knew how decisive Iwaizumi could be; it was one of his strengths and there had been no hesitation in his voice earlier.

“I used to hear people say how the marriage would never last because my dad only married my mum for her looks but its been twenty five years now so I guess the third time really is the charm,” Iwaizumi chuckled wryly.

“People are awful,” Oikawa clucked his tongue in disapproval.

He knew all too well the kinds of rumours that could spread,  _especially_  about the inner workings of one’s family.

“Yeah, but my brother would usually step in and tell people to back off. It’s not like they could say anything more when my mum’s own step-son defended her,” Iwaizumi shrugged. “I think she knew what people said about her but that just made her want to prove them wrong even more. She still loves music and runs a school out of our house in Matsushima. She’s kind of a terrible cook and doesn’t know a thing about technology but she’s really kind and patient and understanding.”

Oikawa smiled fondly at Iwaizumi; there was a smile on Iwaizumi's face too but it was a little sad.

As far as Oikawa knew, Iwaizumi had lived in Miyagi until last month. It couldn’t have been easy for him to be three hours from his home, his friends, and his family.

It was clear now why Iwaizumi didn’t speak about his mother until he was prompted. He missed her and that was understandable; they obviously had a good relationship, which was always important in a family.

“Are you thinking about visiting soon?” Oikawa asked.

Iwaizumi shrugged noncommittally, “Maybe.”

There was more to that but Oikawa didn’t want to push. He was happy to talk about something else so he diverted the conversation to volleyball again because it was something they could both contribute to.

By the time Oikawa began to yawn they had been out there for over half an hour. Between the bright lights and Iwaizumi's company though, Oikawa didn’t care that he was tired—he’d have been content to stay out longer.

He hadn’t asked Iwaizumi what time he had to go to work the next day though so when Iwaizumi asked if they should call it a night Oikawa agreed. Oikawa didn’t have to work tomorrow himself but he knew Iwaizumi practically worked every day. Iwaizumi's job wasn’t easy but Oikawa admired his drive.

They were both engulfed in a sleepy silence on the way home. Oikawa couldn’t have asked for a better time—a better  _date_. When they stepped out of the elevator onto their floor and Iwaizumi stopped at Oikawa's door, waiting for him to head inside first, Oikawa's face bloomed pink all over again.

The alcohol was long gone from his system but Oikawa still felt slightly dazed.

“Oikawa,” Iwaizumi said, stopping him.

He reached out to take Oikawa's hand again but settled with grasping Oikawa's fingertips between his, a little hesitant.

“Hmm?”

“I know you’re worried about my face but I swear it doesn’t even hurt that much anymore. If you’ll let me, I really want to kiss you right now,” he huffed a nervous laugh.

Whatever it was that Oikawa had been expecting, it wasn’t  _that_.

Oikawa came to his senses surprisingly quickly. He moved so he could take Iwaizumi's hand more firmly in his, tugging him forward as Oikawa opened his front door. “You can’t kiss me out here,” he smiled at the confused look Iwaizumi gave him.

It was amusing to see Iwaizumi's face colour, patches of bright red lighting up his cheeks and ears. He looked embarrassed but if anything, it added to his charm.

Oikawa was reminded again of how endearing Iwaizumi's straightforwardness was. It was clear that he said whatever came to his mind and that level of honesty had Oikawa's heart reeling in fondness.

He had to bite the inside of his cheek and turn his head so that Iwaizumi wouldn’t see the amusement on his face. He wasn’t laughing at the other man rather that Oikawa was just  _happy_  and it was hard to contain his giddiness.

“You want to drink something?” Oikawa asked, turning around.

His jacket was back in the front closet and their shoes had been neatly placed on the side. Oikawa didn’t realize how close Iwaizumi was standing until he turned around and came face to face with him.

Iwaizumi silently shook his head at Oikawa's question and brought his hands up to cup Oikawa's face gently.

Only a moment ago Iwaizumi had been the one flushing from his words and Oikawa had been the one with a teasing lilt in his voice. Now, the tables had turned and Oikawa was left frozen in anticipation.

Iwaizumi smiled at him, ran his thumb along Oikawa's cheek a few times. The intensity of his gaze had Oikawa glued to the spot, unable to move, but made him want to turn his head away at the same time. He could barely handle the way Iwaizumi was looking at him.

He didn’t know how long they stood there in the entryway of his apartment but Oikawa found himself getting lost in Iwaizumi's eyes, how they changed from a warm hazel to a dark green with the slight shifts in the light above them. He had a nice face, strong features and Oikawa was tempted to run the pads of his fingers along the structure, but he couldn’t move.

Just when Oikawa thought he was going to combust from the tension Iwaizumi pulled him forward, meeting Oikawa half way.

Oikawa's eyes immediately fluttered shut and he let Iwaizumi's touch replace his sight. Iwaizumi was gentle at first, hesitant like he had been when his fingers had barely brushed Oikawa's but the moment Oikawa reciprocated the kiss, he pressed deeper, cupped Oikawa's face tighter, held them that much closer together.

It was nothing like the quick peck he had placed on Oikawa's cheek earlier that night. Iwaizumi was tender but firm at the same time, like he was trying to ask Oikawa if it was okay to kiss him like this while still trying to show how much he wanted to.

Oikawa wanted it too and he said as much when he took one arm and wrapped it tightly around Iwaizumi's neck while the other hand clutched the back of his button up tightly. It wasn’t like they could get any closer and Oikawa was certain Iwaizumi's shirt would be wrinkled when they pulled apart but neither of them seemed to care in that moment—at least, Oikawa knew he certainly didn’t.

Somewhere between the smooth slide of Iwaizumi's hand across Oikawa's cheek, the kisses turned open mouthed and Oikawa felt like he  _needed_  Iwaizumi's lips on his to survive. He didn’t even notice that they had taken a few steps back until Oikawa's back hit the wall and his eyes shot open from the impact for half a second.

Oikawa moaned into Iwaizumi's mouth and that just spurred the other man on to trace his tongue across Oikawa's bottom lip and coax it open further. Oikawa wanted to touch his face, wanted to grasp his jaw between his fingers and hold it close but he was so lethargic that he couldn’t even remember which side of Iwaizumi's face held the bruise anymore.

The arm wrapped tightly around Iwaizumi's neck slid up to his head, hands fisting his hair instead. Oikawa tugged lightly and for a few moments, he thought he had done something wrong when Iwaizumi pulled away entirely, hands still caging Oikawa in against the wall.

But his eyes told a different story and Iwaizumi was quick to follow up on his look. “Fuck, I really like you,” he said quietly, just loud enough for Oikawa to hear.

Oikawa's face was already impossibly pink from that unexpected kiss, but he felt his face heat up all over again.

It was clear that Iwaizumi wanted to continue to kiss him – Oikawa's wanted him to as well – but there was also more desire behind his words that neither of them were in a rush to get to tonight.

Oikawa wanted to savour this moment, wanted to make it last longer, which was why when Iwaizumi pecked a few kisses to the underside of his jaw and removed his hands from the wall to let Oikawa through, Oikawa pulled at his sleeve lightly and asked, “Do you want to stay?”

“Oikawa…” Iwaizumi said hesitantly, the question clear in his tone if not in his words.

“We don’t have to do anything else!” Oikawa said quickly. “It’s just, uh…” he struggled to find the correct words. “I really had fun with you tonight and I’d really like it if you stayed because—”

“Okay.”

Iwaizumi cut Oikawa off, saving him the trouble of finding an explanation that didn’t make him sound clingy.

In this moment, Oikawa knew that he  _was_  clingy but how could he not be when Iwaizumi had been nothing but great this entire night? Oikawa was aware that there was always the chance of another date – Iwaizumi had said as much when he talked about a ‘next time’ – but Oikawa didn’t know when that was going to be and he wanted to savour what they had right now.

“Do you want to get your stuff from your apartment? Or you could borrow some of my clothes and I have an extra toothbrush or even just mouthwash,” Oikawa offered.

It sounded so stupid coming out of his mouth. Iwaizumi's apartment was literally  _next door_  and it was weird for Oikawa to ask him to stay when he lived so close. But Iwaizumi didn’t seem to mind.

He nodded, answering Oikawa's question seriously. “Can I borrow your clothes? And mouthwash is fine… unless you think that’s gross.”

Oikawa couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of him at Iwaizumi's own question. He was happy to know that he wasn’t the only one feeling nervous. Iwaizumi's reaction gave him that sense of calm that he sorely needed; there was no reason for  _either of them_  to be so embarrassed.

“It’s not gross,” Oikawa insisted.

Iwaizumi huffed a relieved laugh. Oikawa's slid his hand down the length of Iwaizumi's arm before finding his hand and clasping it tightly.

He turned off the light in the genkan and led Iwaizumi down the hall to his bedroom. Oikawa handed him a pair of thin grey sweats and a blue t-shirt, giving him the room to change while he used the bathroom.

When Iwaizumi was done getting ready for bed and Oikawa had changed into his own pyjamas Oikawa's nerves had pretty much settled down although it didn’t seem like Iwaizumi's had.

“You don’t have to sleep so far away,” Oikawa smiled, hiding his face in the side of his pillow lest he laughed aloud.

He felt Iwaizumi shift on the bed and Oikawa turned around on so he was facing the middle only to come face to face with Iwaizumi. The proximity startled him for a moment before Oikawa mentally chided himself – he  _had_  been the one teasing Iwaizumi just seconds ago.

“Don’t say things you don’t mean,” Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, noticing Oikawa's stupor.

“I was just surprised you were so acquiescent for a second,  _geez_!” Oikawa covered his shock quickly. “Come here,” he said before Iwaizumi could tell him off, pushing aside his embarrassment as he reached for Iwaizumi's arm and placed it across his hip.

It felt like dead weight for a few moments before Iwaizumi became comfortable and curled it properly, holding Oikawa like he meant it. Oikawa couldn’t help the smile that stretched across his face.

“What?” Iwaizumi asked, lips pinched suspiciously.

“ _Nothing_ ,” Oikawa laughed, ducking his head down. He knew his hair must be tickling Iwaizumi's chin but Iwaizumi didn’t give him the chance to apologize. Iwaizumi just took that as a sign to shift closer, until Oikawa's face was pressed against his chest.

Oikawa liked it like this. He could hear Iwaizumi's heart beat and it was calming—like the  _pitter patter_ of rain.

“You know,” Oikawa started conversationally, “you can take your shirt off if you want. I know you sleep without it on.”

“What the fuck, Oikawa?” Iwaizumi asked, tone somewhere between disbelieving and amused.

He didn’t move away from Oikawa though even with the teasing. Oikawa wasn’t sure if he was trying to be serious or funny; a part of him knew it was probably a mix of both but his comment seemed to loosen Iwaizumi up.

“I’m serious! Remember when I came to your apartment that one time to drop off the cheesecake that I baked?” he asked.

“And you were so embarrassed you bolted back?” Iwaizumi challenged.

“ _Rude_! And I thought you hadn’t noticed that,” Oikawa clucked his tongue.

“Pretty hard not to,” Iwaizumi laughed. “It’s okay, I thought it was pretty charming,” he appeased, pressing a kiss to the top of Oikawa's head.

“You’re lucky you’re so smooth,” Oikawa huffed.

But he wasn’t angry and he was glad that things had worked out the way they had, even if it was unconventional.

“For the record,” Iwaizumi said, “I had a lot of fun tonight too and didn’t want it to end either. And I’m sorry if I made you think all I wanted to do was kiss you because that’s definitely not the case.”

Oikawa wasn’t sure his heart could take this much sincerity. He squeezed his eyes shut to wade off some of his jitteriness.

“You don’t have to explain that,” Oikawa promised. “I get what you mean.”

And he  _did_.

Going out with Iwaizumi was the best thing to have happened to Oikawa in a while; he didn’t want to be overly cautious or suspicious but the superstition had already started to set in. Oikawa's already had a bad experience with too much of one good thing at a time and he was afraid of it happening again.

He really  _was_  happy with how things had turned out tonight and he was grateful that Iwaizumi was too.

“Want to go to Chidorigafuchi next time? They’ve got boats you can rent and the cherry blossoms are gone now but the view is still nice,” Oikawa asked.  

He was pretty sure it was okay for him to ask Iwaizumi about a next date when they were curled up against one another in the same bed. He was nervous about Iwaizumi's answer all the same.

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi agreed, voice reverberating in his chest. Oikawa could feel it and he had to suppress the shiver that threatened to run through his body. “You want to bring Aki?” he asks.

“Is that a trick question?” Oikawa hesitated.

“ _No_ ,” Iwaizumi laughed. “I know how much you love him and it’s not really fair that you have to leave him with your sister and nephew just so we can spend time together. Even if he doesn’t like me, I like  _you_  and as a result, I like him,” he clarified.

“ _Really_?”

“Yeah,  _really_ ,” Iwaizumi chuckled.

“Okay, yeah,” Oikawa nodded. “Though I can’t guarantee we’ll get to do what we plan for the day if Aki's around,” Oikawa recalled, thinking back to that time they had tried to take him to Yoyogi Park together and ended up coming home before they even got there. “Still, I’m happy,” Oikawa admitted.

Even if Aki was being stubborn Oikawa had to admit that Iwaizumi really  _was_  trying.

“We’ll plan something tomorrow,” Iwaizumi promised.

“Hmm,” Oikawa agreed, yawning.

With all these promises and hopeful thoughts it was easy for Oikawa to fall asleep. Especially with Iwaizumi's presence surrounding him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! <3 
> 
> hit me up on [twitter](https://twitter.com/oiivkawa) if you want c:


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